UK killers and drug dealers hiding in Spain named in ‘Most Wanted’ campaign

The dirty dozen includes duo accused of killing gangland rivals and Britons accused of running major drug operations

Twelve fugitives revealed in new Most Wanted campaign. Photo: NCA

A suspected murderer accused of a drive-by gangland shooting and a leader of an £8 million drug-smuggling operation have been named on a most wanted list of Britons who are believed to have fled to Spain.

Two of the 12 are wanted for murder while eight are believed to be hiding in Spain after being linked to drug-running operations.

They include a man with gold upper teeth and heavily-tattooed drug dealer Jake Mayle, who has ‘Money never sleeps’ written on his left hand.

Spain has long been the destination of choice for British fugitives who in the past were attracted by the lack of an extradition agreement between the two countries.

After an extradition deal was struck in 1985, some criminals preferred to hide in other areas with large English-speaking populations such as South Africa, Thailand, Cyprus and some Arab Gulf countries where extradition is more difficult.

But many criminals continued to be lured to Spain, attracted by the warm weather and the ability to hide within the 400,000 strong expatriate population.

The campaign was launched in Madrid on Wednesday with details of the men being hunted.

Two were wanted for killing members of rival criminal gangs – including Nana Oppong, 41, for the drive-by shooting of a 50-year-old in June 2020.

Mayle, 30, from Caterham, Surrey, worked with a dark web drug dealer, and sold class A drugs via a phone line called the Flavour Quest.

The list also includes two suspected drug dealers from Cardiff who used the secret phone network EncroChat before it was taken down in an international sting.

Asim Naveed, 29, described as muscular and 6ft 2in (about 1.88 metres), is accused of being the leader of a drug smuggling gang that brought 46 kilograms of cocaine, worth nearly £8 million, into Wales between February and June 2020.

His alleged customer Calvin Parris, 32, who has gold upper teeth, is accused of selling cocaine in the Welsh capital.

NCA director general of operations Steve Rodhouse said that Spain was not a safe haven for criminals.

"Fugitives usually continue offending while on the run and these men will be known in criminal circles wherever they are.

"The last thing the fugitives' associates will want is the combined determination and capabilities of the UK and Spanish law enforcement focusing on them.

"Many of these fugitives will be trying to blend in to the large British communities who have made their homes in Spain, and if you are resident, you may know one of them from your town or village.”

The two countries have increased their co-operation over the years and previous 'Most Wanted' campaigns have resulted in 86 people being arrested and returned to the UK, including some of Britain's most notorious criminals.

These extradited from Spain include major underworld figure Kenneth Noye who was arrested in 1999, returned to Britain and jailed for stabbing a man to death in a road rage attack. Jamie Acourt, who was a suspect in a notorious racist killing of a black teenager in 1993, was sent back to the UK in 2018 over a major cannabis smuggling ring. More than 25 people were arrested last year.

Law enforcement authorities had feared that Brexit could hamper the hunt for criminals across European borders but the National Crime Agency, which leads the hunt for the most serious offenders, said new arrangements put in place were working extremely well.