UK’s most wanted fugitive flashes thumbs-up during dramatic Benidorm arrest

One of the United Kingdom’s most wanted fugitives was dramatically arrested near Benidorm after Spanish police raided a villa linked to an alleged drug trafficking network.


Simon Dutton, 49, from Bolton in Greater Manchester, was taken into custody during an early morning operation in La Nucia on Spain’s Costa Blanca. Footage released by authorities showed the fugitive appearing calm as he was escorted in handcuffs, even flashing a thumbs-up gesture toward cameras.


According to reports from The Sun, armed Civil Guard officers stormed the property alongside sniffer dogs before arresting Dutton and three other suspects as part of a wider crackdown on organised crime.


Police said they seized narcotics, around £3,000 in cash, false identity documents and two vehicles during the operation.


Dutton had previously been convicted over large-scale cocaine importation and money laundering offences. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison in 2016 after earlier being arrested in Greece. Authorities were later seeking his return to prison after he allegedly breached restrictions linked to the earlier case.


Spanish authorities said the latest investigation began in November 2025 after a suspicious suitcase containing 16 kilograms of cannabis resin was discovered at a courier company in Benidorm. Investigators later traced the package to a wider network allegedly using false documents and logistical support to traffic drugs to the UK.


Officials confirmed Dutton was among fugitives being targeted under Operation Captura, a long-running joint initiative aimed at tracking down British criminals believed to be hiding in Spain.


Authorities said Dutton now faces extradition proceedings back to the UK and could also face additional charges linked to alleged offences committed in Spain.


The latest “Most Wanted” campaign includes several fugitives believed to be hiding in areas such as Marbella, Malaga, Alicante and Tenerife.