Arrests linked to international warrants
On Tuesday 3rd November 2026, the Mossos d'Esquadra, Catalonia’s regional police, confirmed the arrests of two men in Barcelona, both 43 years old, who were subject to international detention orders. One was wanted by Croatian authorities for allegedly obtaining official documents using a false identity, while the other faces an Interpol alert over alleged involvement in a 2016 homicide in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Fraud suspect identified after local arrest
The first suspect was initially detained on 16th October by Barcelona’s local municipal police, the Guàrdia Urbana, on suspicion of making minor threats and property damage. During processing at a Mossos d'Esquadra station, officers discovered the identification he provided was fraudulent. Further checks revealed he was subject to a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) issued by Croatia. According to Croatian judicial authorities, the man allegedly used forged documents and assumed a false identity to fraudulently obtain a personal identification number and official state certificates. The case relates to events from 2018, and carries a potential sentence of up to ten years in prison. He was transferred to the Central Investigative Court Number 2 in Madrid on 19th October.
Homicide suspect tied to criminal organisation
The second arrest occurred on 21st October, when Citizen Security officers identified a man in Barcelona whose data matched an active International Arrest Warrant from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The warrant relates to a murder investigation stemming from September 2016, in which the suspect is allegedly linked to the violent death of an individual. Bosnian authorities believe the killing occurred within the context of a criminal organisation involved in kidnappings and extortion. During the operation, police also arrested the man on suspicion of falsifying a public document. He was brought before the on-duty investigative court in Barcelona on 22nd October. Both cases are proceeding through the judicial system under international legal cooperation frameworks.
These operations highlight the effectiveness of cross-border police collaboration in locating individuals wanted for serious offences.
The Mossos d'Esquadra stressed that the arrests were part of ongoing international judicial and police cooperation mechanisms, which have enabled the handover of two individuals sought for serious crimes to the appropriate judicial authorities.
Sources: Govern de Catalunya.
