Spanish Police Arrest British Murder Fugitive In Barcelona
A British fugitive wanted for conspiracy to double murder in Salford has been arrested by armed Spanish cops after they broke into his flat in Barcelona.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has confirmed that Jamie Rothwell, 33, from Salford, Greater Manchester, was arrested in a flat in the city of Barcelona in the northeastern Spanish region of Catalonia on Sunday morning.
The fugitive was wanted for conspiring to murder two men and also for two counts of conspiring to commit grievous bodily harm and was arrested in a joint operation with the Spanish National Police
His arrest is reportedly part of an investigation into a dispute between two rival organised crime gangs in Salford in 2015.
In the video, armed Spanish cops can be seen breaking into the flat carrying shields and head torches.
The officers can be seen with at least two men in the flat and then they arrest Rothwell, who is topless.
Investigators can then be seen searching through the flat where they find stacks of cash.
The Spanish National Police said in a press statement sent to Newsflash that Rothwell had been staying in a temporary flat owned by a Dutch friend in the Sant Adria del Beso area on the outskirts of Barcelona.
The statement said that objects which are “very important for the Britsh police investigation” such as “electronic devices, cash and documentation” had been seized in the raid.
The operation was carried out by the Special Operative Groups of Security, an elite unit of the Spanish National Police.
Matt Horne, the NCA deputy director of investigations, said: “The arrest of a fugitive over exceptionally serious allegations is a great result.
“It’s an example of how the agency and our international partners work to protect the public, and even during the coronavirus when there’ve been greater hurdles to overcome, the NCA has remained relentless in leading the UK’s fight against serious organised crime.”
Rothwell reportedly appeared in a Spanish court on Monday and was remanded. He will reappear in court to face extradition proceedings, but no date has yet been confirmed for this.
Detective Chief Inspector Carl Jones, of GMP’s Major Incident Team, said: “This arrest is part of Greater Manchester Police’s ongoing investigation into a dispute between two rival organised crime groups in Salford in 2015.
“Operation Leopard is a collaborative operation which utilises specialists from GMP’s Major Incident Team and Serious and Organised Crime Group.
“This arrest wouldn’t have been possible without an excellent working relationship between GMP, the Crown Prosecution Service, National Crime Agency and the Spanish authorities.”