One of Europe’s most wanted fugitives has surrendered to authorities in Murcia. Marek Dawid Legiec, a 32-year-old alleged drug trafficker, turned himself in at a local police station due to the strong pressure he was under. This limited practically all his movements and made his situation unsustainable since his inclusion in a widely spread search campaign.
Target of an international manhunt
Legiec was subject to a European arrest warrant issued by Poland, accusing him of leading a criminal organisation involved in drug trafficking. Furthermore, his network reportedly operated across Spain, Poland, and Germany. The criminals orchestrated drug shipments valued at over €1 million. Since 2022, Polish authorities had suspected that Legiec was hiding in Spain, adopting elaborate security measures to evade capture. Consequently, he frequently used aliases and relocated repeatedly to avoid detection.
Public collaboration was key to capture
After exhausting conventional investigative methods, Spanish authorities launched a public campaign to locate Legiec. The police circulated his image, age, and distinctive physical features, including tattoos and a facial mole, widely through media and police social media channels. The campaign yielded results as mounting public awareness amplified pressure on the fugitive, leaving him with no safe haven.
Another fugitive arrested in Madrid
In a separate operation, the Spanish National Police arrested another international fugitive in Madrid. This individual, whose nationality has not been revealed, was wanted in Colombia for a gruesome crime committed in August 2024. The fugitive was convicted in absentia for the murder and dismemberment of a woman in Cali. Supposedly he had hidden her remains in plastic bags and suitcases discarded along the road. The convict faced a 33-year sentence but fled the country before being apprehended in Spain.
Spain’s most wanted
Following the surrender of Marek Dawid Legiec, nine fugitives remain on Spain’s most-wanted list. Authorities are searching these individuals for serious crimes, including drug trafficking, sexual offenses, and murder.
- Baltasar Vilar Durán: Aged 68, with a slim build, brown/grey hair, and blue eyes. He is wanted for drug trafficking offenses.
- Domingos Manuel Pinto Coelho: A 51-year-old man of athletic build, standing 1.66 metres tall, with white/grey hair and brown eyes. He is sought for undisclosed criminal activities.
- Álvaro Pasquín Mora: 32 years old, slim, 1.70 metres in height, with dark hair and black eyes. He is wanted for sexual abuse and threats. Notably, he has several tattoos, including the phrase “La suerte está echada” on his chest.
- Jonathan Montoya Rendón: A 39-year-old man with an athletic build, 1.85 metres tall, black hair, and black eyes. He is sought for undisclosed criminal activities.
- Jesús Heredia Iglesias: 47 years old, of heavy build, 1.65 metres in height, with light brown hair and blue eyes. He is wanted for murder and illegal possession of firearms.
- Alberto Severo De Sousa Madureira: A 53-year-old man with a slim build, brown hair, and brown eyes. He is sought for homicide and is known to use the alias David Ruben Villas-Boas Cortereal.
- Segundo Cousido Vieites: 43 years old, of strong build, standing 1.80 metres tall, with dark hair and brown eyes. He is wanted for sexual abuse of minors, exploiting his position as a religion teacher to commit these offenses.
- José Manuel Canela Vázquez: A 50-year-old man with an athletic build, 1.79 metres in height, with brown or shaved hair and brown eyes. Known as “Ferramache,” he is considered one of the leading hashish traffickers in Huelva province and has been evading capture since 2013.
The Spanish National Police continue to seek public assistance in locating these fugitives. The police urges anyone with information to contact authorities through the dedicated email losmasbuscados@policia.es or by calling 091.