Ten fugitives captured trying to enter Melilla in 2024

In 2024, the National Police in Melilla successfully apprehended ten individuals sought by judicial authorities across several countries, including the Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, and Morocco. Most of these arrests occurred at the border with Morocco, targeting individuals wanted by international courts for extradition.

Local media reports reveal that among those detained was a suspect wanted for murder in the Netherlands, another for kidnapping or illegal detention in the same country, and a third individual linked to arms and drug trafficking across France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Additionally, one person was arrested for disturbing public order and security, four for drug trafficking, and two for crimes against property and facilitating irregular immigration.

A spokesperson for the High Police Directorate disclosed on Wednesday that the ten men are deemed «fugitives from justice» and are subject to «European arrest and extradition orders» or «Interpol orders» issued by European and Moroccan judicial authorities, necessitating their arrest and extradition.

The extradition process is meticulously handled by the Regional Judicial Police Squad, in collaboration with the duty investigating judge in Melilla and the Central Investigating Courts of the National Court in Madrid. This is done in coordination with the judicial authorities requesting the extradition.