Spanish national police have arrested a British man in Benidorm who has been wanted in the UK for major drug and weapons crimes. The thirty‑five‑year‑old fugitive had been living in Alicante province and was traced after Interpol passed information to Spanish authorities. He had been on the run since December 2021 and was sought under an international warrant linked to a possible life sentence.

UK investigators say he was a key figure in a cocaine‑smuggling network operating across England and the Netherlands. Under the EncroChat handle “jurgensixnineteen”, he directed bulk drug purchases, cash handling and deliveries. The gang used modified gas canisters to move 172 kilos of cocaine across twelve trips between 2019 and 2020, with vehicles collecting loads in several English towns.

He admitted importation charges at Newcastle Crown Court on 12 December and is being held until sentencing on 27 February 2026. The National Crime Agency says he worked closely with associates in both the UK and the Netherlands and handled £250,000 cash batches through couriers.

Investigators say the arrest shows continued cooperation between UK and Spanish authorities in tracking fugitives who flee abroad to evade severe sentences.