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One of the UK’s most wanted fugitives has been remanded in custody in Spain after being arrested on the Costa Blanca, in a case linked to both international drug trafficking and a local Guardia Civil investigation.

 

Simon William Dutton, a British national aged 50, was detained in La Nucía near Benidorm and later brought before the National Court via videoconference from Alicante. On Friday May 16, a judge ordered his imprisonment while extradition proceedings to the UK move forward.

 

Dutton, who is wanted by British authorities, opposed being returned to the UK during his court appearance. He is accused of failing to complete a 14-year sentence for drug trafficking and using a false identity, originally handed down in Liverpool in September 2016. According to UK authorities, he had been released after serving half his sentence but was ordered back to prison in April 2025 after breaching conditions, including failing to attend court and not informing the National Crime Agency of his whereabouts.

 

His arrest came just hours after the launch of the latest Operation Captura appeal in Alicante, a joint initiative between UK and Spanish authorities to track down 12 fugitives believed to be hiding in Spain. The list has now been reduced to 11. Members of the public can provide anonymous information via Crimestoppers at https://crimestoppers-uk.org/spain.

 

Dutton was also wanted in connection with organising large-scale cocaine imports into the UK and money laundering. The National Crime Agency said one intercepted shipment linked to the case was valued at £1.5 million.

 

NCA deputy director Rick Jones said fugitives often attempt to disappear into expat communities. “They will generally integrate themselves into these communities, which are populated by many, many thousands of British people,” he said. “Criminals will integrate themselves and hide among society, and then abuse that trust of those communities... These are serious criminals and there’s nothing glamorous for the victims who’ve been hurt by these individuals.”

 

The arrest forms part of a wider Guardia Civil operation targeting a group suspected of sending drugs to the UK. Officers seized around 40 kilos of marijuana at Dutton’s home in La Nucía, along with €4,000 in cash, false documents and two vehicles. A 19-year-old man, believed to be his son, was also arrested, along with two others in Benidorm.

 

Investigators say the case began in November 2025 after a suspicious suitcase containing 16 kilos of hashish was discovered at a parcel service in Benidorm, destined for the UK. Enquiries led officers to a network using false identities and logistical support to ship drugs abroad.

 

Dutton is expected to appear before a court in Benidorm in connection with the Spanish drug investigation, a development that could delay his extradition.

 

Operation Captura, now in its 20th year, has led to 98 of 111 wanted suspects being caught. Authorities continue to urge the public not to approach suspects, but to report any information anonymously.

 

Images: Crimestoppers