One of Britain’s most wanted fugitives has been arrested by Spanish police just 24 hours after an appeal to track him down was launched.
Joshua Hendry, 30, was arrested in the town of San Pedro de Alcántara in Marbella, southern Spain, on Thursday after police spotted him out walking a dog.
Hendry has an international arrest warrant against him for his extradition to the UK on charges of drug trafficking and belonging to a criminal gang in Liverpool.
He was named as one of 12 most wanted British criminal suspects thought to be hiding in Spain in an appeal by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the charity Crimestoppers, in partnership with the Spanish police, on Wednesday.
Hendry’s arrest came just 24 hours after photographs of the wanted men were published, with others sought in connection with crimes including murder, drug trafficking and arms smuggling.
The NCA’s director general of operations, Steve Rodhouse, who attended the launch of the appeal alongside the Spanish security minister, Rafael Pérez Ruiz, said that Spain was not a “safe haven” for criminals.
“The last thing the fugitives’ associates will want is the combined determination and capabilities of the UK and Spanish law enforcement focusing on them,” he said.
According to Rodhouse, many of the wanted men on the list are likely to have attempted to blend in with British communities in Spain.
He added: “Loyalties change over time and we urge anyone with information about these men to help us find them.”
Pérez Ruiz said: “The campaign allows us to reinforce and strengthen police collaboration between Spain and the United Kingdom with the aim of creating a hostile environment which impedes criminal organisations from setting up in Spain and criminals from settling in our cities.”