Spain no longer Costa del Crime

By Euro Weekly News Media • Published: 17 Apr 2015 • 16:37

TWO more men featured on a list of most-wanted UK fugitives thought to be in Spain have been caught.

In a joint operation between the Guardia Civil and the UK’s National Crime Agency, Paul Monk was captured in Javea on Tuesday morning. The 54-year-old, from Romford in Essex, was wanted in connection with drug offences.

Police allegedly found an imitation gun and €125,000 in cash on the premises of his luxury villa.

Then on Wednesday morning Jayson McDonald, 37, who had connections to Spain, was tracked down to an apartment in Amsterdam.

He is thought to have fled to Holland after police raided a home he owns in Coin, Malaga. He was also wanted in connection with drug offences. They are now behind bars while awaiting extradition proceedings.

The arrest of the two men takes the total number of fugitives caught since the launch of the most recent edition of Operation Captura last month to three. Shane Walford from Coventry was tracked down to Fuerteventura. The 38-year-old was on the run after absconding from a prison sentence for manslaughter. Another 18 fugitives remain on the list.

Dave Allen, head of the UK International Crime Bureau at the NCA, said: “Our ability to capture two of our most wanted fugitives in different countries within 24 hours demonstrates the NCA’s international reach.

“Nowhere is a safe haven for British fugitives and we will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners across the world to track them down and return them to the UK to face justice.”

Monk was allegedly involved in the handover of one kilo of cocaine in Cockfosters, London, in May 2013, and is also linked to the seizure of 24 kilos of cannabis in Colchester in October 2013.

McDonald is believed to be a member of a Europe-wide organised crime network responsible for the importation of class A drugs into the UK.

Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC, the founder and chair of Crimestoppers, said: “It is a fantastic result to have three arrests within the first month of the latest appeal. It really is a testament to the hard work carried out by the NCA, Spanish authorities and Crimestoppers to ensure these fugitives are brought to justice.

“This should be a warning to the remaining 18 individuals on the Captura list that they cannot hide forever. If the public continue to contact Crimestoppers and give information anonymously, I am confident we will see more arrests in the future.”

Information given to Crimestoppers can help locate the fugitives on the Captura list. For those people calling from Spain there is a special freephone Spanish telephone number – 900 555 111 – which will be answered in the UK by Crimestoppers’ call agents. A translation service is available upon request. People can also pass on information anonymously via the Crimestoppers number 0800 555 111 or online at