Anthony Piovesan
SPAIN’S most dangerous alleged criminals have evaded police who suspect them of horrific crimes, and now their profiles have been made public.
Europol on Wednesday morning released a list of more than 50 profiles of Europe’s most wanted as part of a continent-wide crackdown on organised crime.
Among them were five alleged crooks wanted by Spanish authorities investigating crimes such as murder, drug trafficking, money laundering, human trafficking and arson.
The list released by European Network of Fugitive Active Search Teams (ENFAST), supported by Europol, included alleged mafia bosses as well as people suspected of being key leaders of other organised crime groups.
Europol executive director Catherine De Bolle urged Europeans to check the list and help play a role in catching the suspects.
“It couldn’t be simpler for EU citizens to take part in this campaign,” she said.
“One small action from you could mean that a dangerous fugitive is arrested and charged, saving potential victims.”
VASSIL NIKOLOV BAKLAROV
This suspect from Bulgaria is wanted by Spanish authorities for the alleged murder of three people near Madrid.
On August 15 in 1995 Baklarov, together with an accomplice who was a Spanish citizen of Venuzuelan origin, allegedly killed two businessmen from Valencia and a Cameroonian national.
Their bodies were found strapped to the backseat inside a burned car near Alcala de Henares, and with 16 bullet wounds.
Police said the motive behind the triple homicide was a failed scam as the victims, residents in Valencia who often traveled to Madrid, tried to deceive the accused by offering him ways to forge and multiply money, in exchange for cash.
When the accused realised it was a scam he allegedly murdered them.
Baklarov is listed on the ENFAST website as dangerous and a “violent criminal”.
Baklarov operates under the alias of “Vassil” or “Vassil Nikolav” – He is 55-years-old and was born on January 1 in 1967.
He is 190cm tall and speaks Spanish and Bulgarian.
NIKOLAY SHTEREV KURKUCHEV
The Bulgarian national is considered dangerous and possibly armed, and is wanted for allegedly being the leader of an international crime ring involved in trafficking cocaine from South America to Europe.
The organisation specialised in importing cocaine hidden inside legal merchandise in containers shipped from Colombia.
Upon arrival in Europe the merchandise would then be sent to laboratories.
The crime group sent its own “chemists” to the laboratories to recover as much of the imported drug as possible.
Inside Europe the alleged crooks moved the cocaine in vehicles with hidden compartments.
European law enforcement recorded three shipments from South America to the shores of Bulgaria, registering 740 kilos of cocaine.
Kurkuchev allegedly received all of the shipments and then coordinated where the cocaine would be sent within Europe.
He is 54-years-old and was born on July 22 in 1968.
He has blue eyes and is 178cm tall – He only speaks Bulgarian.
ABDELLAH EL HAJ SADEK EL MENBRI
The Moroccan national who operates under the alias of “Messi” or “El Messi del hachis” is the alleged head of Spain’s biggest cannabis trafficking operation.
The 38-year-old allegedly works in the Campo de Gibraltar area, bringing in the marijuana from North Morocco to Spain on high-speed boats.
Once they reach the ground they load the drugs into stolen vehicles and transport it to safe locations to hide until it’s sold.
The alleged fugitive has a “strong network of collaborators” involved in the operation and “plenty of funds”.
ENFAST said he counts on an extensive network of personal and family links who facilitate his hiding, both in Spain and other countries.
He is also wanted for allegedly possessing firearms and money laundering.
He is 187cm tall, with brown eyes and was born on June 8 in 1984 – He speaks Spanish and Arabic.
VIVIANA ANDREA VALLEJO GUTIERREZ
Known by police as “Vivi” the Colombian national is wanted for allegedly trafficking humans, drugs and money laundering.
She would allegedly offer victims to bring them to Spain from Colombia in exchange for 1500 euros, an amount they would then have to pay back working as prostitutes in a flat run by her.
Prior to her alleged victims arriving to Spain they were instructed to contact a man in Pereira who would provide them with airline tickets, hotel reservations and fraudulent documentation.
Once they were put to work as prostitutes they were allegedly forced to be available to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and without any right to rest.
They could allegedly only leave the flat for one hour a day to carry out personal errands, but if a client called them they would need to return instantly.
Gutierrez allegedly kept the money they earned to pay off a debt of €3000.
She also allegedly provided cocaine to the flat, as the clients requested it.
Gutierrez is 148cm tall, with green eyes and two distinct tattoos – one tattoo is of what appears to be a half-eaten apple located on the left side of her chest and the other, also located on her chest, are of three words.
She is 37-years-old, was born on July 10 in 1985 and speaks Spanish.
Erick De Ventura Pacheco
The Spanish national, also known as “Peru”, is wanted for 36 crimes which the court says is worthy of 965 years in jail.
He is the alleged liutenant of one of Spain’s “most dangerous and violent criminal organisations” in the country in the past decades.
Led by Angel Suarez Flores, better known as “Casper”, Pacheco allegedly played a role in crimes such as drug trafficking, false imprisonment, torture, threat and kidnapping.
His criminal group allegedly stole large amounts of drugs from other traffickers by locating them at ports and the containers loaded with the illicit substances.
After the substances left the port the crooks would rob it using kidnapping, torture and threats.
Pacheco is considered an expert in different technical and computer tools required for surveillance and tracking of traffickers.
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