Update:Mark Francis Roberts has been arrested in Malaga. He is the eighth fugitive to be arrested from the campaign – six men remain on the run.
Update: 11 May 2023
One of the UK’s most wanted fugitives has been arrested in Spain after spending nearly seven years on the run.
Mark Francis Roberts, 29, was arrested last night (Weds 10 May) in Estepona, Malaga, in an intelligence-led operation involving the National Crime Agency, Guardia Civil and Merseyside Police.
Roberts was discovered in southern Spain during surveillance and was identified and arrested by Guardia Civil officers.
He is the eighth fugitive to be arrested from the campaign – six men remain on the run.
13 February 2023
The National Crime Agency and partners have renewed an appeal to help trace some of the United Kingdom’s Most Wanted fugitives.
Twelve months ago the NCA launched its most recent appeal to find 13 men who had gone on the run – all believed to be hiding in Spain or with strong links to the country and the Canary Islands.
In that time, six wanted men have been traced, arrested and are at various stages of the extradition and judicial process.
Today, in conjunction with independent charity Crimestoppers, Spanish law enforcement, and UK policing, the appeal is being renewed.
The wanted men are:
Heavily tattooed Jack Mayle, 31, on suspicion of supplying Class A drug MDMA and other drugs.
Mayle was suspected of running a drug line in south London and allegedly worked with a dark web drugs supplier.
When he fled, Mayle, who is from Croydon in south London, had a tattooed neck, a diamond tattoo under his left eye and ‘Croydon’ inked on the outside of his left forearm.
He may have tried to alter his appearance and is known to carry weapons.
Two men from Cardiff are wanted by South Wales Police for Class A drugs offences allegedly organised on the encrypted communications platform EncroChat.
Muscularly built Asim Naveed, 31, and 6ft 2in tall, is accused of playing a leading role in a highly organised crime group (OCG) that trafficked 46 kilos of cocaine into Wales between February and June 2020, worth up to nearly £8m.
Calvin Parris, 33, who has gold upper teeth, is accused of being a customer of Naveed’s OCG and selling cocaine on in Cardiff.
John James Jones, 32, of Ormskirk, Lancashire, is wanted forwounding with intent. Jones allegedly stabbed two victims with a knife causing serious injuries.
Pictured (L-R): Jack Mayle, Mark Francis Roberts, John James Jones, Asim Naveed, Calvin Parris, Callum Michael Allan and Alex Male
It is believed he fled the UK in the immediate aftermath. There is information to show he stayed at a hotel in Madrid the night after the stabbings but left rapidly the next morning.
Also sought is Callum Michael Allan, 24, of South Shields, for 12 alleged offences including: possession with intent to supply heroin and cocaine, possession of cannabis, assaulting an emergency worker, affray and dangerous driving.
On 11 June 2019 police raided a house suspected to be used for drugs deals. Allan fled and assaulted two officers who restrained him. He was in possession of 113.29 grams of heroin. He was charged and appeared at court in April 2020 where he was given unconditional bail and failed to return.
Mark Francis Roberts, 29, of Liverpool, is wanted for alleged grievous bodily harm and the attempted robbery of a man’s £60,000 Richard Mille watch.
The victim was attacked by two men with a blade at around 1.30am on 30 September 2016 after he parked his car on his home driveway.
The victim refused to surrender his watch and was so badly injured he suffered life-threatening injuries and was treated in a critical care unit for puncture wounds, a collapsed lung and many lacerations.
The victim heard one of the attackers say he’d cut himself in the attack, and Roberts’s blood was later identified at the scene.
Alex Male, 30, of Weston-super-Mare, is alleged to be a regional distributor of drugs across the south west of England, buying and selling drugs and managing other distributors who operated under his instruction using EncroChat. He is accused of conspiracy to supply cocaine and ketamine, money laundering and conspiracy to acquire a firearm.
He has links to Spain, Portugal and Turkey.
Steve Reynolds, NCA regional head in Spain, said: “Spain is immensely popular with Britishpeople who live and take holidays there, but it is not a safe haven for criminals.
“The NCA’s International Crime Bureau and International Liaison Officers work with foreign law enforcement on behalf of UK police forces to track and arrest criminals wherever they are in the world.
“It’s usual for fugitives to continue to commit crime while on the run and these men will be known in criminal circles wherever they are and some will be trying to blend in to the large British communities for whom Spain is home.
“You may know one of them from your town or village. Loyalties change over time and we urge anyone with information about these men to help us find them.
“The UK and Spain have a very strong law enforcement partnership and day-in day-out we work together to protect the public.
“This partnership has been crucial to many of the successes we have had so far in tracking down fugitives from justice in the UK.”
Lord Ashcroft, founder of the charity Crimestoppers UK, said: “We are incredibly grateful to the public for supporting our joint campaign with the NCA.
“By passing on vital information, their actions have helped catch wanted individuals who pose a genuine danger to our communities.
“If you know the whereabouts of any of the remaining Most Wanted fugitives, please tell our charity. We’re available 24/7, so contact us either online or on the phone. Your personal details will never be asked for.”
Anyone with information about one of the Most Wanted should call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or fill out an anonymous online form at the UK charity’s website (https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/most-wanted).
