Most wanted fugitive returned after Portugal arrest

One of the UK’s most wanted men has been brought back to Wales by the National Crime Agency (NCA) after spending four years on the run.

Calvin Parris, 34, from Cardiff, was detained by Portuguese Judicial Police officers near the town of Boliqueime in the Algarve, Portugal, on October 3.

Officers from the NCA’s Joint International Crime Centre (JICC) escorted him back to the UK on October 15 and he was taken into custody by South Wales Police.

Parris, who has been charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine, was named as one of the NCA’s most wanted fugitives after going on the run in November 2020.

He appeared at Cardiff Magistrates Court today (October 16) and was remanded into custody until his next appearance at Cardiff Crown Cout in November.

Neil Keeping, NCA International Regional Manager, said: 

“The arrest of Calvin Parris highlights our commitment to tracing those accused of serious criminality and returning them to the UK to face charges.

“It should also serve as a warning to other fugitives on the run – no matter how you try and evade law enforcement, we will always catch up with you. 

“My thanks go to our partners at the Portuguese Judicial Police who worked tirelessly to locate and detain Parris, and to our officers for bringing him back into the custody of South Wales Police.”

Detective Sergeant Ceri Young of South Wales Police said:

“Calvin Parris is believed to have left the UK on or before November 29, 2020, following the arrest of several co-conspirators. He never returned and a joint operation involving South Wales Police, the NCA and other European law enforcement agencies was launched to trace and arrest him. A European Arrest Warrant was issued for his arrest on December 22, 2020.

“We are pleased to report that Parris has been arrested in Portugal following a joint investigation with the NCA and other European law enforcement partners.

“He is accused of being the final member of an organised crime group involved in a complex conspiracy to traffic class A controlled drugs into South Wales utilising encrypted communications devices operating on the ‘EncroChat’ platform.

“Organised crime and drug trafficking has a significant detrimental impact on communities and bringing offenders involved in this level of criminality to justice is a priority for South Wales Police.”