Fugitive Brit ‘drug smuggler’ on international wanted list arrested at Costa Blanca hotel

A BRIT “drug smuggler” has been arrested at a Costa Blanca hotel over alleged drug offences. The 35-year-old man had an international warrant out for his arrest. SolarpixSpanish police surrounding the alleged fugitive’s room[/caption] Spanish police said he had been “directly linked” to bringing in large amounts of cocaine, heroin and ecstasy as well as money laundering. The wanted man was found in the municipality of Javea. His arrest was done with the help of the UK’s National Crime Agency, the Met Police and officers from the Civil Guard’s elite UCO Central Operative Unit. He is believed to been found after experts analysed messages on an encrypted communication network called Encrochat from him. A spokesman for the Civil Guard said: “The Civil Guard has arrested a British man who had been wanted by authorities in his country since 2020 for drug trafficking, money laundering and membership of a criminal organisation. “Specifically he has been directly related to the import of large amounts of different drugs into the UK.” Officials say it took  “weeks of intense but discreet work” to catch the man after his partners were located in Alicante.