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| Andrew Moran: is the 'costa del crime' still home to many wanted Brits? | Andrew Moran: is the 'costa del crime' still home to many wanted Brits? |
| (8 days later) | |
| The spectacular filmed arrest of Andrew Moran at his "luxury villa" in Calpe on the Costa Blanca is a reminder that Spain is still a happy hiding ground for many British criminals. Moran had been on the run for four years after escaping from Burnley crown court where he was convicted in his absence of conspiring to commit armed robbery. | The spectacular filmed arrest of Andrew Moran at his "luxury villa" in Calpe on the Costa Blanca is a reminder that Spain is still a happy hiding ground for many British criminals. Moran had been on the run for four years after escaping from Burnley crown court where he was convicted in his absence of conspiring to commit armed robbery. |
| The Spanish press has been reporting extensively how one of the United Kingdom's "fugitivos mas peligrosos" was tracked down by a team from their specialist unit, Grupos Operativos Especiales de Seguridad (GOES) and should soon be on his way home to the chillier climes of an English jail. He was nearly caught not far away in Murcia last November but managed to escape by ramming the pursuing police vehicles and driving the wrong way down a motorway. | The Spanish press has been reporting extensively how one of the United Kingdom's "fugitivos mas peligrosos" was tracked down by a team from their specialist unit, Grupos Operativos Especiales de Seguridad (GOES) and should soon be on his way home to the chillier climes of an English jail. He was nearly caught not far away in Murcia last November but managed to escape by ramming the pursuing police vehicles and driving the wrong way down a motorway. |
| Calpe is close to Benidorm and a popular hang-out for British expats, some of whom appreciate the elaborate security of some of the properties on offer. "This dream-come-true villa in Calpe comes with lovely sea views," boasts one local estate agent of a currently vacant property. "Extras include bulletproof glass." | Calpe is close to Benidorm and a popular hang-out for British expats, some of whom appreciate the elaborate security of some of the properties on offer. "This dream-come-true villa in Calpe comes with lovely sea views," boasts one local estate agent of a currently vacant property. "Extras include bulletproof glass." |
| But why is Spain still so popular with people on the run? There was a brief window between 1978 and 1985 when extradition agreements between Spain and the UK broke down and a number of wanted men settled on the so-called "costa del crime". Ronnie Knight, the ex-husband of Barbara Windsor, is credited with establishing the Spanish costas as a getaway destination. "If I'd got commission for every Londoner I'd introduced to the delights of the Costa del Sol," wrote Knight in his memoir, Blood and Revenge, "I would have earned fortunes." (Knight himself left Spain a while ago and now lives in sheltered accommodation near Cambridge.) | But why is Spain still so popular with people on the run? There was a brief window between 1978 and 1985 when extradition agreements between Spain and the UK broke down and a number of wanted men settled on the so-called "costa del crime". Ronnie Knight, the ex-husband of Barbara Windsor, is credited with establishing the Spanish costas as a getaway destination. "If I'd got commission for every Londoner I'd introduced to the delights of the Costa del Sol," wrote Knight in his memoir, Blood and Revenge, "I would have earned fortunes." (Knight himself left Spain a while ago and now lives in sheltered accommodation near Cambridge.) |
| Since 2004, the European arrest warrant has allowed for the speedy repatriation of wanted men, but there are still good reasons for fugitives to choose Spain. The collapse of the Spanish property market means that villas – with or without bulletproof glass – are very cheap. Around a million Britons already have properties in Spain and many more come for holidays so it is easy to blend in. False documents are easy to come by. | Since 2004, the European arrest warrant has allowed for the speedy repatriation of wanted men, but there are still good reasons for fugitives to choose Spain. The collapse of the Spanish property market means that villas – with or without bulletproof glass – are very cheap. Around a million Britons already have properties in Spain and many more come for holidays so it is easy to blend in. False documents are easy to come by. |
| Crimestoppers, the charity that helps track down criminals, runs a regular series called Operation Captura with the faces and descriptions of wanted Brits at large in Spain. So far 50 of the 65 people on the list have been caught and the Spanish police are happy to cooperate with their British colleagues and send them home, not least because many of them are involved in drug-smuggling. The latest batch of 10 most wanted includes a couple of men sought for murder. Only last week the Spanish police arrested some Britons in Denia, not far from Calpe, who were found with 700 cannabis plants on their property. | Crimestoppers, the charity that helps track down criminals, runs a regular series called Operation Captura with the faces and descriptions of wanted Brits at large in Spain. So far 50 of the 65 people on the list have been caught and the Spanish police are happy to cooperate with their British colleagues and send them home, not least because many of them are involved in drug-smuggling. The latest batch of 10 most wanted includes a couple of men sought for murder. Only last week the Spanish police arrested some Britons in Denia, not far from Calpe, who were found with 700 cannabis plants on their property. |
| For Moran, the only consolation may be that his stealthy arrest, which was filmed by the Spanish police and broadcast around the world, may be the most watched movie about the costa del crime since Sexy Beast. | For Moran, the only consolation may be that his stealthy arrest, which was filmed by the Spanish police and broadcast around the world, may be the most watched movie about the costa del crime since Sexy Beast. |
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