One of the UK’s most wanted fugitives has been arrested in La Nicia close to Benidorm after Spanish police smashed an alleged drug-trafficking network operating on the Costa Blanca.
Simon Dutton, 49, originally from Bolton, was arrested in La Nucia, near Benidorm (Alicante). His arrest came just hours after Britain’s NCA plastered his face across the media in a renewed ‘most wanted’ appeal for British fugitives hiding out among expat communities in Spain
Three other people were also arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking and using false documents.
The dramatic operation comes as British authorities launch a fresh “Most Wanted” campaign aimed at tracking down fugitives linked to organised crime who may be hiding in Spain.
The investigation began in November 2025 when staff at a parcel delivery business in Benidorm raised the alarm over a suitcase bound for the UK. Inside, officers discovered 16 kilos of hashish.
Police traced the woman who allegedly sent the luggage and found she had used false documentation. Investigators say she was accompanied by another person and supported by two men who helped move the suitcase to the premises.
As the probe widened, officers identified the suspects and discovered that one of them was on Britain’s international wanted list. An arrest warrant had been issued for him at the end of 2025.
The operation was led by the Guardia Civil’s organised crime and anti-drug unit in Alicante, with support from the elite UCO fugitive team and Britain’s National Crime Agency.
During searches in Benidorm and La Nucía, officers seized drugs, €4,000 in cash, false documents and two vehicles allegedly used by the suspects.
The detainees are expected to appear before a judge on allegations of drug trafficking and document fraud. The main suspect will be handed over to Spain’s National Court as extradition proceedings linked to the UK warrant continue.
Spanish and British police say the arrest highlights the growing cooperation between both countries in the hunt for fugitives using Spain as a bolthole.
