Armed officers hunt wanted man after shots fired at UDYCO agents during dramatic late-night arrest operation
Police are closing in on notorious fugitive “El Gorreta” after he once again slipped through their fingers during a dramatic late-night operation in Lo Pagán.
The wanted man allegedly opened fire on officers from the National Police’s Drugs and Organised Crime Unit, UDYCO, as they moved in to arrest him on Friday night. Despite several shots being fired, no officers or members of the public were injured.
The operation unfolded at around 11pm in the San Pedro del Pinatar area, where police had carefully planned an attempt to corner the 30-year-old Spanish national, identified by the initials JDG.
But as officers closed in, the fugitive allegedly threatened them before firing several rounds from a 9mm pistol. One bullet is understood to have ricocheted off a private vehicle, narrowly avoiding injury.
After the shooting, “El Gorreta” fled the scene and discarded the weapon, which was later recovered by police. He is believed to have hidden inside a nearby building, but despite the area being sealed off, officers were unable to locate him.
The search continued on Saturday, with more than 30 officers involved, including members of the UPR reaction and prevention unit, forensic specialists and other police units.
“El Gorreta” is well known to police and is understood to have several outstanding warrants against him. He has previously been linked to drug-related robberies, as well as burglaries targeting homes and businesses, making him a persistent problem for law enforcement.
This is not the first time he has managed to evade arrest. In recent weeks, he has allegedly boasted online about escaping police operations, taunting officers in social media videos.
Around two weeks ago, the fugitive reportedly posted a video on TikTok claiming he was deleting his account because he believed police were monitoring it in an effort to track him down. In the same video, he appeared to mock officers for failing to catch him and issued threats against anyone he believed had passed information to police.
Investigators believe he may have received help from relatives or associates during previous attempts to arrest him.
The latest escape has triggered a major police response, with officers determined to locate and arrest a man now regarded as one of the area’s most elusive fugitives.
The operation remains active.
