Mossos d'Esquadra, Catalonia's regional police force, arrested a 28-year-old Turkish fugitive in Barcelona on 26 August after locating him in tourist apartments in the city. The man, who is awaiting extradition to Turkey after appearing before Barcelona's duty court, had been sought internationally after failing to return from prison leave in June.

The arrest ended a search that had traced him through several locations on the Costa Brava earlier in August. For Barcelona residents, the operation is no longer an active search in the city: police said the man is now in custody pending the extradition process.

Convicted over two Istanbul shootings

According to the Mossos d'Esquadra notice, the man had been serving a 26-year prison sentence in Turkey since 2018. Turkish authorities issued an international arrest warrant after he escaped while on judicially authorised leave to visit a relative.

The sentence covered offences including the attempted murder of two people with a firearm in Istanbul, in separate incidents in 2016 and 2018. The warrant also cited weapons possession, violent robbery, aggravated burglary and threats.

Police tracked accommodation arrangements

The Mossos said information shared with Turkish police placed the fugitive at several points on the Costa Brava in early August. The force's International Fugitive Research Group, known by its Catalan initials GRIF, then began its investigation.

Police said he was continuously accompanied by two people who provided logistical support. They allegedly used their own personal details to book hotels and tourist apartments, avoiding the need for him to identify himself.

  • The fugitive travelled in a high-end vehicle with German registration plates.
  • The vehicle was registered to a person with no criminal record or known police links, according to the Mossos.
  • GRIF officers located the man and the two companions in tourist apartments in Barcelona.

GRIF made the arrest with support from ARRO, the Mossos' regional operational resources unit for the Barcelona metropolitan area. The Mossos notice says the detainee remains subject to extradition proceedings requested by Turkey.

Primary sources: mossos.gencat.cat, dsp.interior.gencat.cat. Reported by Haberler.com, en.haberler.com, modernetdigital.cat, en.ilsole24ore.com, Redacția SpotMedia.ro, knews.media, Turkish Minute, turkeyunfolding.com.