A 40-year-old suspected drug ring leader described as “one of the United Kingdom’s most wanted men” has been arrested in the Algarve, PJ criminal police have announced.
The man is linked to large-scale trafficking of cocaine and hashish and was caught was caught by PJ police’s Southern Directorate in an operation carried out in close cooperation with the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA). The arrest was made under an international warrant issued by British judicial authorities.
He had been on the run since a court decision nearly two years ago and was living under a false identity in the small Algarve town of Boliqueime when detained, PJ police say.
The man’s criminal record in the UK also reportedly includes cases of violence and attempted assaults on police officers during previous escapes.
The suspect, a foreign national, will be brought before the Court of Appeal in Évora, where judges will decide on his extradition to Scotland, the country requesting his return.
PJ police announced a press conference for 11am today at its Southern Directorate in Faro to provide further details about the arrest.
