AUTHORITIES have launched a new appeal to find 12 of the UK’s most wanted criminals thought to be hiding out in Spain.
Among those on the list are alleged murderers, drug traffickers and violent gangland criminals who trade in firearms and ammunition.
The faces of 12 fugitives have been made public on Wednesday in the hope that the public can help track them down.
Expat residents are being asked to be on the look-out for these dangerous men who could ‘be trying to blend in to the large British communities who have made their homes in Spain’.
“If you are resident, you may know one of them from your town or village,” said Steve Rodhouse from the UK’s National Crime Agency as he launched the appeal.
The NCA’s Most Wanted campaign is run in conjunction with independent charity CrimeStoppers, Spanish law enforcement, UK policing and comes on the back of the extremely successful Operation Captura fugitives campaign in Spain, which resulted in the arrests of 86 offenders.
“Spain is not a safe haven,” warned Rodhouse. “We have a brilliant relationship with the country’s various law enforcement agencies and work together daily to protect the public.”
He explained that those on the run usually continue to engage in criminal activity.
“Fugitives usually continue offending while on the run and these men will be known in criminal circles wherever they are.
“The last thing the fugitives’ associates will want is the combined determination and capabilities of the UK and Spanish law enforcement focusing on them.
“Loyalties change over time and we urge anyone with information about these men to help us find them.”
Lord Ashcroft, founder of the charity CrimeStoppers UK said: “We know it can be difficult for people to speak up about crime, which is why our charity is here to give you an option.
“We guarantee you’ll stay completely anonymous, just like the millions of people who have trusted our charity with their crime information since we were formed back in the 1980s.
“Please do the right thing by passing on what you know about these fugitives’ whereabouts and help us ensure these criminals are no longer a danger.”
Hugh Elliott, British Ambassador to Spain, said: “The Most Wanted campaign is just one example of the successful cooperation that takes place between British and Spanish law enforcement.
“I would like to thank our Spanish colleagues in the National Police and the Guardia Civil for their role in this campaign and for their ongoing collaboration in the face of common challenges more broadly. I would also like to thank the Spanish and British public for their help, as without them the Most Wanted campaign would not be possible.”
Who are the fugitives?
All the men featured on the campaign are believed to have links to mainland Spain, Ibiza or the Canary Islands.
Nana Oppong
Nana Oppong, 41, is wanted by Essex Police for the drive-by murder of grandfather Robert Powell, 50, who was shot eight times with a 9mm pistol on 13 June 2020.
It is alleged that the victim and Powell were from rival criminal factions.
Oppong is described as 5ft 6ins tall and with a “proportionate” build. He is also known as “Enz” and has links to areas in east London and is thought to have strong links in Marbella.
Jack Mayle
Mayle, 31, whose nicknames include Littles, Jak Littles, Jimmy Fleeko, failed to appear at Guilford court after being arrested in July 2020 for conspiracy to supply Class A, B and C drugs.
He is described as 5ft 11 and with a muscular built but it’s his tattoos that may give him away. He has a diamond tattoo on his face, as well as a full sleeve tattoo on his left arm, and both hands tattooed with “Money Never Sleeps” along with an eye design featuring hands around it and the word “Littles”.
He also has tattoos saying “TRAP STAR” on his fingers and neck tattoos with warriors and religious figures on horseback. On the outside of his left foot he has a tattoo reading “CROYDON”.
He may have tried to alter his appearance and is known to carry weapons. He is also a regular gym goer and a vegan.
Benjamin Macann
Ben Macann, 32, from Norfolk is wanted for his alleged involvement in the supply of cocaine in 2020 in which he and accomplices used encrypted handsets.
He is describes as around 5ft 10in tall with a medium build, blue eyes and greying hair. He is also said to suffer from asthma and is left handed and is known to have links to Barcelona.
Callum Halpin
Callum Halpin, 27, who is wanted by Greater Manchester Police for the murder of drug dealer Luke Graham, 31, and the attempted murder of Anton Verigotta.
Graham, a dad-of-two, was ambushed and shot dead in a drugs turf war in broad daylight on a street in Ashton-under-Lyne as children played nearby in June 2018. In July 2019, five men were jailed over the execution.
Halpin is described as around 6ft tall, of athletic build, fair complexion. Gym goer. Possible lazy eye.
Asim Naveed
Asim Naveed, 29, is described as muscular build and 6ft 2in tall. He is accused of playing a leading role in a highly organised crime group that trafficked 46 kilos of cocaine into Wales between February and June 2020, worth up to nearly £8m. He is South Asian and has a surgical scar along his left wrist.
Calvin Parris
Along with Naveed (above) Calvin Parris is the second man on the list wanted by South Wales Police for Class A drugs offences allegedly organised by using the encrypted comms platform EncroChat.
Parris, 32, who has gold upper teeth, is accused of being a customer of Naveed’s OCG and selling cocaine on in Cardiff.
James Stevenson
Scotsman James ‘Jamie’ Stevenson, 56, is wanted by the National Crime Agency and Police Scotland over the seizure of approximately one tonne of cocaine and 28 million Etizolam ‘street Valium’ tablets.
The cocaine was found in a shipment at the Port of Dover in September 2020 and the tablets were seized following a raid on a suspected pill factory in Kent in June 2020.
Stevenson, who is around 5ft 9in tall, stocky and has a scar on the left side of his face, is also wanted in connection with two suspected arson attacks on properties in the Lanarkshire and Forth Valley areas in May 2020.
Members of the public are warned not to approach Stevenson directly but to contact the authorities immediately.
He also goes by the nicknames ‘Iceman’ or ‘Bull’ and is understood to have links to Barcelona and Alicante.
John James Jones
This 31-year old fugitive is wanted by Lancashire police for wounding with intent and allegedly assaulted two people by stabbing them numerous times with a knife causing serious injuries.
Jones, who is described as a stocky 6ft, is believed to have fled the UK in the immediate aftermath of the attacks and stayed at a hotel in Madrid the night after the stabbings but left rapidly the next morning.
He has possible links to Ibiza.
Callum Michael Allan
Allan, 23, is accused of 12 offences which include: Possession with intent to supply Class A (heroin), supply Class A (cocaine), possession of cannabis, assaulting an emergency worker, affray and dangerous driving.
On 11 June 2019 officers from Northumbria Police raided a house suspected to be used for drugs deals. Allan fled and assaulted two officers who restrained him. He was in possession of 113.29 grams of heroin. Allan was charged and appeared at court in April 2020 where he was given unconditional bail and failed to return.
He is described as just under 6ft tall, with fine hair, blue eyes, a slim build and a Tyneside accent.
He is thought to have links with Alicante and Marbella.
Dean Garforth
Garforth, 29, is allegedly involved in a well-established Organised Crime Group (OCG) supplying significant quantities of cocaine and cannabis and involved in trading firearms and ammunition. It is alleged he used the now defunct encrypted comms platform EncroChat to facilitate these offences in and around the North West of England and that his OCG also adulterated the drugs before moving them on.
He is described as about 5ft 6in tall with a slim build, brown hair and a Liverpool accent.
Joshua Dillon Hendry
Hendry, 30, from Liverpool is accused of being a member of a Liverpool OCG and conspiracy to supply Class A Drugs. It is alleged he trafficked heroin and crack cocaine from Liverpool to Grimsby for onward distribution and controlled the phone line used for this.
His mother and brother were convicted as part of the conspiracy.
Hendry, who is 6ft 2in tall is also wanted over a separate drugs conspiracy to supply cocaine in May 2018 for which he was sentenced in his absence to 10 years’ imprisonment in March 2019.
Mark Francis Roberts
Roberts, 28 and from Liverpool, is accused of Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) and attempted robbery of a man’s £60,000 Richard Mille watch. The victim was attacked by two men with a blade at around 1.30am on 30 September 2016 after he parked his car on his home driveway.
The victim refused to surrender his watch and was so badly injured he suffered life-threatening injuries and was treated in a critical care unit for puncture wounds, a collapsed lung and many lacerations.
The victim heard one of the attackers say he’d cut himself in the attack, and Roberts’s blood was later identified at the scene.
He is described as white, 6ft 1in tall, of medium build with heavy eyebrows and green eyes. He has a 7.6cm scar down his right leg and may have a scar on his arm obtained during the attempted robbery.
Do you recognize any of the fugitives?
Anyone with information about one of the Most Wanted is urged to call the freephone Spanish number 900 926 111, which will be answered by CrimeStoppers in the UK (using translation if required). Callers in the UK should call CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Alternatively, members of the public can fill out an anonymous online form at the UK charity’s website HERE.
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