Spanish police arrests one of Sweden's most wanted fugitives

Spanish police have arrested one of Sweden's most wanted fugitives in the northeastern town of Sitges, accusing him of involvement in around 20 violent crimes, including murders and homicides linked to organized crime, Spain's Interior Ministry said Monday.

The suspect is wanted by Swedish authorities for allegedly participating in a series of attacks in 2024 aimed at destabilizing rival criminal groups and provoking conflicts between them, according to the ministry.

According to the statement released by the ministry, investigators said he allegedly trained young recruits to carry out killings and organized attacks, providing them with firearms, military-grade weapons and explosives.

The ministry said the suspect had close ties to a notorious Swedish criminal figure known as the "Pablo Escobar of Sweden."

The investigation began in June 2025 under the European Network of Fugitive Active Search Teams, with Spanish and Swedish authorities exchanging intelligence to locate the suspect.

Police tracked him to a detached house in an upscale neighborhood of Sitges, where he remained hidden inside the property, rarely venturing beyond its garden, as he was aware that he was being sought for serious crimes.

Given concerns that weapons or explosives could be inside the house, officers carried out a court-authorized raid under a European Investigation Order and arrested him early on Aug. 1.