Agents from the National Police have apprehended a 36-year-old British national at Tenerife Airport following a European arrest and extradition order issued by Portuguese authorities for drug trafficking offences.
The apprehension took place in early March after authorities at the South Tenerife border post identified the possible arrival of the suspect on a flight from East Midland, England, according to police sources.
The police stated that an immediate coordination operation was initiated to confirm the identity of the fugitive, leading to a passport control check that verified their identity, resulting in the individual’s arrest.
The search for the fugitive stemmed from their connection to a significant drug trafficking case in Madeira (Portugal) that occurred in 2019.
Allegations suggest that the arrested individual and six accomplices were intercepted by Portugal’s Criminal Police outside a hotel in Madeira while transporting a total of 11,465 kilograms of cocaine, concealed in various packages, including backpacks and handbags.
These events received extensive media coverage in both Portugal and the United Kingdom.
The detainee has been transferred to the judiciary and is currently in provisional custody while the extradition process to Portugal is underway.
