PAIR HELD

Irishman wanted for alleged child sex offences and British ‘fraudster’ arrested by Spanish cops in major operation

• Published: 12:45, 18 Aug 2023
• Updated: 17:05, 18 Aug 2023

• Gerard Couzens

• Published: Invalid Date,

POLICE on the Costa del Sol have arrested an Irish and British fugitive as part of an operation dubbed Operation Pulsito.

The Irishman, a 43-year-old wanted for alleged child sex offences, was held in the resort of Fuengirola.

The British national, a 47-year-old alleged fraudster, was arrested in Marbella after leaving a previous hideaway in Portugal.

Neither man has been fully identified by Spanish police, with only their initials released so far.

A spokesman for the Civil Guard in Malaga, which released footage of the arrests, said: “Officers have arrested two men wanted by their respective countries, an Irish national and a British man, as part of Operation Pulsito.

“The first arrest took place in Fuengirola when D.K.M.C, aged 43, who had been on the run for several years was held on a European Arrest Warrant for a crime of sexual exploitation of children.

“After receiving information from the garda about this man, he was located at the home where he was hiding, with his arrest taking place as he left the property.

“He was handed over to the Audiencia Nacional court in Madrid for the purposes of extradition. The court remanded him in prison.

“The second arrest on August 8 took place in Marbella after officers were informed a British fugitive may have recently moved to the Costa del Sol from Portugal using another person’s identity.

“This individual, a 47-year-old whose initials are P.M.C, is wanted by UK authorities for fraud and money laundering, having allegedly defrauded £4.5million.

“He was located and arrested and handed over to the same court as the Irish national.”

It was not immediately clear today if either of the two men were fighting extradition or had agreed to be sent back to their respective home countries.

The arrest of the Irish national took place on July 28 but the Civil Guard only went public with it today following the second detention.