Suspected murderers, sex offenders and drugs traffickers are among just eleven fugitives left on the run in a campaign that has seen 84 offenders already caught across Europe.
Today, the National Crime Agency and the charity Crimestoppers are urging the public to help us catch the last fugitives who have escaped justice.
All of them have connections to Spain but may have moved around over the years and will be using false identities. We are re-releasing their details as millions of Brits are enjoying their summer holidays abroad.
“As my fellow Britons know, the success of Crimestoppers, whether in the UK or Spain, is all about the active support of ordinary people for the work of the police, so I would like to appeal to British residents and holidaymakers in Spain to be on the lookout this summer for these 11 fugitives from British justice. Your information, given anonymously, can put these criminals back where they belong: behind bars in the UK,” said British Ambassador to Spain Simon Manley.
The 11 include Sarah Panitzke. Panitzke, 45, from Fulford, near York, is wanted by HMRC and is accused of laundering approximately £1bn for a crime group involved in VAT fraud.
To carry out the alleged frauds, she travelled extensively to places including Dubai, Spain and Andorra. She absconded in May 2013 before her trial finished.
Panitzke has a Yorkshire accent and is about 5ft 5in tall. Eighteen members of her crime group received sentences totalling 135 years.
Also on the list is alleged murderer Allan Foster, 43, who has been on the run since May 2006 when David Rice was shot dead as he sat in his car in South Shields, Tyne and Wear.
The NCA works closely with Crimestoppers, the Spanish authorities, UK law enforcement agencies and the British Embassy in Madrid as part of the Operation Captura campaign.
We have seen 84 fugitives returned to the UK out of 96 publicised cases. One case has been dropped.
In June, Christopher Guest More Jr, 41, became the latest fugitive to be arrested and returned to the UK after being on the run for 16 years.
Andy Cooke-Welling, of the NCA’s International Crime Bureau, said: “Operation Captura has been a resounding success.
“But we are still hunting the remaining fugitives on our list and will not stop.
“We urge holidaymakers and expats in Spain and elsewhere across Europe to keep their eyes and ears open this summer.
“There may also be people in the UK with vital information on their whereabouts, and we would urge them to get in touch. Having the public’s attention focused on them makes it so much harder to hide.”
Mark Hallas, Chief Executive at Crimestoppers charity, said: “Members of the public are one of our greatest weapons in the fight against crime. Once again we are asking the public to help track down most wanted individuals who are sought in connection with some violent, sexual and highly organised crimes.
“We’ve always had an overwhelming response to this campaign, to date 84 offenders have been caught across Europe.
“You can view all the appeals on the most wanted section of Crimestoppers website and if you know anything about the individuals please contact the Crimestoppers charity.
“No one will ever know who you are, not even us.”
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of a fugitive should can contact Crimestoppers 100% anonymously at crimestoppers-uk.org or call 0800 555 111.
If sighted, the public are advised not to approach any of the fugitives but to contact the police immediately.
