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CRIME

Spain arrests British drug smuggler on top ten most-wanted fugitive list

Spanish police have arrested a suspected British drug trafficking boss who is listed among Britain's ten most wanted fugitives thought to be on the run in Spain.

Spain arrests British drug smuggler on top ten most-wanted fugitive list
Photo: Crimestoppers

Police detained Michael Roden, also known by his nickname “Dodge”, and six other suspects earlier this month in the southwestern province of Granada, a police spokesman said on Monday.

Roden, a suspected member of an organised crime group, is wanted by British police in connection with the importation of 70 kilos (155 pounds) of cannabis into Britain from Spain in 2013.


Photo: Crimestoppers

He was convicted in October 2010 in Britain of large-scale production of cannabis and jailed for three years.

Roden, who is originally from Redditch, Worcestershire was released early the following year but failed to meet his probation conditions and is wanted for recall into prison.

He is on a list of Britain's ten most wanted fugitives put together by Crimestoppers, a police-backed British charity that appeals for help in solving crimes.

Spanish police detained Roden and the six other suspects – three men and three women  – between October 4th and 11th as part of a probe into an organisation suspected of smuggling marijuana into several European Union nations, mainly Britain.

“The drugs, which was of a high quality and vacuum packed, was transported using different types of vehicles, such as campers, trucks, high-powered cars,” police said in a statement.

Police charged Roden and the six other suspects with membership in a criminal organisation, drug trafficking, money laundering, illegal arms possession and document falsification.

Police seized 30 kilos of marijuana as part of their operations as well as several guns and cars and over €85,000 ($91,500) in cash.

An estimated one million British nationals live in Spain all or part of the year, according to the British embassy.

Spain's southern Costa del Sol – once dubbed the “Costa del Crime” – has been known as a hideaway for British criminals in the past, especially in the late 1970s and 80s when there were no extradition agreements with Britain.

But the situation changed in 2004 with European arrest warrants, making it easier to bring British criminals back to face justice.

The latest arrest means that 73 out of 86 so far named on the Captura list have been detained.

Dave Allen, Head of the International Crime Bureau at the National Crime Agency, said:

“The arrest of Michael Roden marks yet another success for Operation Captura and highlights the effectiveness of the campaign in flushing out fugitives.

“We’ve caught 73 out of 86 fugitives on the Captura list and will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to find the remaining 13.”

Lord Ashcroft, KCMG PC, Founder and Chair of Crimestoppers, said: “The success of Operation Captura has been quite incredible and I commend all those at Crimestoppers, the NCA and the Spanish authorities for their tireless work in locating these wanted individuals.

“We are now down to the unlucky 13 who still remain at large, and I would ask anyone with information on their whereabouts to contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 900 555 111 in Spain or 0800 555 111 in the UK, so we can bring them to justice.”

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CRIME

Convicted rapist Dani Alves leaves Spain jail after posting bail

Convicted rapist and former Brazil international Dani Alves left a prison near Barcelona on Monday after posting the €1 million bail set by a court to ensure his release pending appeal.

Convicted rapist Dani Alves leaves Spain jail after posting bail

The 40-year-old has been in jail since his arrest in January 2023 on suspicion of raping a young woman in the VIP bathroom of a Barcelona nightclub in the early hours of December 31, 2022.

Wearing jeans and a black jacket, his face expressionless, Alves walked out of the Brians 2 prison in San Esteban Sasroviras near Barcelona with his lawyer, AFP correspondents at the scene said.

The former Barcelona player, one of the world’s most decorated footballers, was convicted last month and sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail, with his lawyers swiftly moving to file an appeal.

But in a surprise move, the court agreed last Wednesday to conditionally release him in exchange for posting a €1 million ($1.08 million) bail, handing over his Spanish and Brazilian passports, staying in Spain and presenting himself to court every week.

Alves had tried to make bail several times since his arrest but his requests were turned down on the basis he was a flight risk since Brazil does not extradite citizens sentenced in other countries. Alves’ lawyers are seeking his acquittal, and the appeal process could take months to complete

Prosecutors, however, want his prison sentence doubled to nine years. They and the victim’s lawyer Ester Garcia have appealed the decision to grant Alves bail.

“This sends the message that this is justice for the rich, and even if there is a conviction, if you pay bail there are no criminal consequences,” she told reporters last week.

“It’s a very dangerous message for society,” she added, saying her client was “totally outraged, very despondent and very frustrated”.

Brazil’s Lula slams bail deal

The court’s decision to free Alves was also robustly criticised by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

“We cannot stay silent in the face of this injustice,” he said on Thursday, stressing that money “cannot undo the crime that a man commits by raping a woman”.

“When sex is something between two people, it has to be agreed to by both of them,” and if not, that constitutes “a crime”, he said.

During the trial, the victim, who testified behind a screen to protect her identity, said Alves had violently forced her to have sex despite begging him to let her go, causing her “anguish and terror”, according to prosecutors present for her declaration.

Alves’ lawyers had argued the victim had been “glued” to the player while dancing at the nightclub, saying there was “sexual tension” between them. But in its 61-page decision, the court said that did not mean “that she consented to anything that might have subsequently happened”.

Spain’s leftist government passed a new in 2022 that strengthens the country’s penal code against rape by requiring explicit consent for sex acts, a move long demanded by assault survivors and women’s rights groups.

Alves is widely considered one of the greatest defenders of all time, having won 42 trophies. The peak of his career was with Barcelona between 2008 and 2016, alongside Lionel Messi, when he won 23 trophies.

At the time of his arrest, he was contracted to Mexican club Pumas UNAM. He was sacked soon after being detained

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