National Police officers have apprehended a 36-year-old British national at Tenerife Airport following a European arrest warrant issued by Portuguese authorities related to drug trafficking offences.
The arrest took place in early March when authorities at the southern Tenerife airport detected the potential arrival of the wanted individual on a flight from East Midlands, England, as indicated by police sources in a statement.
Consequently, a coordination operation was promptly initiated to confirm the identity of the fugitive, which led to the implementation of a passport control where the individual’s identity was verified, resulting in their arrest.
The search for the fugitive was prompted by their connection to a significant drug trafficking case in Madeira (Portugal) that occurred in 2019.
According to the allegations, the apprehended individual and six others were intercepted by the Criminal Police of Portugal in front of a hotel in Madeira while transporting a total of 11.465 kilograms of cocaine in various packages, which were concealed in backpacks and handbags.
These events received extensive media coverage in both Portugal and the United Kingdom.
The detainee has been transferred and is now at the disposal of the judicial authority, which has ordered their provisional detention while the extradition process to Portugal is underway.
