Fiona Govan
POLICE swooped in on one of the most wanted fugitives in Spain on Wednesday, capturing him within 48hours of a nationwide appeal in which his photograph was widely distributed.
On Monday the Policia Nacional launched a campaign appealing for the public to help track down the most wanted criminals on the run in Spain.
And by Wednesday they could already cross one of the list after an anonymous tip-off alerted them to his whereabouts in Madrid and a specialist team moved in to make the arrest.
Manuel Bellido Moreno, 46, is considered the biggest currency counterfeiter in Spain and is thought to be behind the distribution of high volumes of large fake bills since 2013.
At a very noticeable 6ft 5 (2metres tall), the forger was likely recognised from his mugshot which appeared alongside nine other of Spain’s most wanted.
The list includes a British murderer and a Belgian drug dealer as well as a sex traffickers, gun runner, armed robber and a paedophile.
The Spanish police force is hoping for the same success that has been achieved with similar campaigns launched to capture notorious Brits on the lam on Spain’s Costas.
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