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A British man wanted in connection with eight alleged sexual offences against children has been arrested in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria, after Policía Nacional officers tracked him down near a holiday rental property in the resort area.

 

The man had originally been arrested in the United Kingdom over the allegations and released on bail. He subsequently left the country and failed to appear before the courts when required. When his whereabouts became unknown to British authorities, an international arrest warrant was issued.

 

Investigators received information suggesting the man might be staying in San Bartolomé de Tirajana, the municipality that covers the Maspalomas resort area. Officers from the specialist violent crime unit at Maspalomas police station began working to confirm his presence and verify that the international warrant was still active, checking through the central services of the Policía Nacional directorate before proceeding.

 

Once confirmed, a surveillance operation was launched. It ended with the suspect being located near a holiday rental and arrested without incident. He was taken to Maspalomas police station for processing and subsequently brought before a court, which ordered him to be held in provisional custody while the extradition request from the United Kingdom is processed.

 

The case is a reminder that Spain, and particularly its popular tourist areas, is not somewhere wanted individuals can simply disappear into unnoticed. International cooperation between British and Spanish judicial authorities has become increasingly effective, and the Policía Nacional's specialist units are well practised at this kind of discreet, intelligence-led operation.

 

For the communities where British tourists and residents live and holiday, the arrest will be seen as a straightforward piece of good police work, bringing to an end what had apparently been a deliberate attempt to evade justice by crossing an international border.

 

Extradition proceedings are now under way.

 

 

Image: Policía Nacional/X.com