Spanish authorities have apprehended a British fugitive shortly after his identification as one of the 12 most wanted individuals believed to be evading capture in Spain. Simon Dutton, aged 49, was captured in La Nucia, located north of Benidorm. The arrest took place in the early hours of the morning but was only publicized by the police later in the day following the National Crime Agency’s release of the newest Operation Captura wanted list.
Dutton, a convicted drug trafficker from Bolton, was previously detained in a bar in Greece in December 2015 and was sought for a prison recall. The NCA revealed that Dutton, who bears a tattoo of the name ‘Rachel’ on his left arm and distinctive scars on his chin, left hand, and right leg, was sentenced to 14 years in prison in September 2016 for his involvement in large-scale cocaine importation and money laundering.
Video footage released by the Civil Guard depicted heavily armed officers encircling a villa before entering forcefully, shouting “Police, police” in English. A Civil Guard spokesperson confirmed the arrest of a fugitive as part of a UK-led international operation against organized crime, coinciding with the latest ‘Most Wanted’ campaign launch.
The operation in Benidorm and La Nucia targeted a network associated with drug trafficking and forgery, resulting in the arrest of three additional individuals. The investigation, initiated in November 2025 after a Benidorm courier firm manager alerted authorities to a suitcase containing 16 kilos of cannabis resin destined for the UK, led to the identification of suspects utilizing false documentation.
Further inquiries revealed the involvement of multiple individuals in the delivery, with one identified as a person on the UK Most Wanted list for drug trafficking offenses, leading to an International Arrest Warrant issued at the end of the previous year. The arrest followed the NCA’s release of the latest fugitive list, marking the 20th anniversary of Operation Captura, which has successfully captured 98 out of 111 publicized fugitives.
All the individuals featured in this year’s campaign are suspected to have ties to Spain, particularly in regions such as Tenerife, Marbella, Alicante, and Malaga.