- Eight men and one woman are believed to be hiding in the Republic of Cyprus but could cross border into Turkish-controlled Northern Cyprus
- The nine 'most wanted' are accused of different crimes including rape, drug dealing and perverting the course of justice
Most wanted: Martin John Power, 46, is sought by
the Metropolitan Police for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to
defraud mortgage lenders out of an estimated £7 million
The eight men and one woman on the run are accused of various crimes including rape, drug dealing and perverting the course of justice.
Their identities have been released amid fears that northern Cyprus, which has no extradition treaty with the UK, could become the equivalent of the Costa del Sol where criminals escaped to in the 70s and 80s as they couldn't be extradited back to the UK.
The nine are believed to currently be residing in the Republic of Cyprus but some may cross the Green Line into the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to avoid being extradited back to the UK if arrested under a European warrant.
Crimestoppers released the list of the nine 'most wanted' compiled by the UK’s Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) and Cypriot authorities in a bid to help bring them to justice.
The list includes Paul Lockwood, 41, who is sought by Greater Manchester Police for allegedly raping a child.
Wayne Smith, 38, is wanted by West Midlands Police for his role in a horrific road accident that killed a 22-year-old man while his girlfriend Julie Anne Skelding, 40, is being sought for perverting the course of justice.
Greek-Cypriot Costas Sampson, 21, accused of raping a woman in Ruislip, Middlesex.
The list also has details of suspects accused of drug dealing and fraud, including Martin John Power, 46, who is sought by the Metropolitan Police for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to defraud mortgage lenders out of an estimated £7 million.
Martin Evans, 50, from Swansea, is wanted for running a drug-dealing gang between 1999 and 2001.
Founder of Crimestoppers Lord Ashcroft said: 'My hope is that we shall see more success in bringing some of the UK’s most wanted fugitives to justice.
On the run: Cypriot national Hasan Akarcay, 56,
left, is wanted by West Yorkshire Police over allegations of dealing
class A drugs and Paul Lockwood, 41, right, is sought by Greater
Manchester Police for allegedly raping a girl between the ages of six
and 10
Suspects: Timur Mehmet, 39, left, from
Buckinghamshire, was convicted in his absence and jailed for eight years
for conspiracy to cheat the public revenue in a £25 million fraud and
Greek-Cypriot Costas Sampson, 21, is wanted by the Metropolitan Police
over allegations he raped a woman who he met at a club
Safe haven: The nine most wanted are believed to
be in the Republic of Cyprus but could cross into Turkish-controlled
Northern Cyprus, pictured, where it would be harder to extradite them to
the UK
The scheme, called Operation Zygos, targets criminals who could be hiding in the Republic of Cyprus or Turkish-controlled Northern Cyprus.
Tycoon Asil Nadir evaded justice for nearly two decades after fleeing Britain to his native northern Cyprus in 1993 after being accused of theft following the collapse of his Polly Peck empire.
It was not until August 2010 that Nadir returned to London claiming he could not live with the ‘burning sense of injustice’.
But he was jailed after finally being convicted of stealing millions from his business to fund his extraordinary luxury lifestyle.
Cypriot Mehmet Salih, 41, left, is wanted by
Leicestershire Police for alleged cocaine dealing between December 2010
and November 2011 and Martin Evans, 50, from Swansea, right, is wanted
for drug dealing, theft and fraudulent trading
Wayne Smith, 38, left, is wanted by West
Midlands Police for his role
in an horrific road accident that killed a 22-year-old man and his
girlfriend, the only woman on the list, Julie Anne Skelding, 40, is
wanted for perverting the course of justice
Deputy director of Soca Martin Molloy said: 'Fugitives hiding overseas typically remain part of the criminal world, continuing to bring harm to communities locally and beyond.
'Soca and our partners are determined to ensure life on the run is intolerable for them, and that they are returned to face justice in the UK.'
People with information calling from Cyprus can contact Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 8000 55 11, or at www.crimestoppers.org.cy.
Those calling from the UK can use 0800 555111 or www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
Crimestoppers has run similar schemes including in Spain, where Operation Captura, launched in October 2006, led to 49 out of 65 suspects being arrested.
BRITAIN'S NINE MOST WANTED CRIMINALS HIDING IN CYPRUS
Cypriot national Hasan Akarcay,
56, is wanted by West Yorkshire Police over allegations of dealing
class A drugs. It is claimed that an associate of his was found with
12.5 kg of diamorphine, an opioid drug similar to heroin, which had a
street value of £600,000. He has used the aliases Hassan Etem and
Ibrahim Etem and is around 5ft 9in, stocky with a large stomach and is
balding with black hair at the sides. He has tanned skin.
Martin Evans, 50, from Swansea in Wales, is wanted for drug dealing, theft and fraudulent trading by the Serious Organised Crime Agency. He ran a drug dealing gang between 1999 and 2001, smuggling the drugs into Britain and laundering the proceeds by converting cash into foreign currencies and moving it to the Netherlands, where it was used to buy more drugs.
Evans is also wanted for stealing thousands of pounds of investments made to a company he ran, called Ostrich Centre Limited, in 1995. He fled after being released from prison on licence in 2011.
He has used the aliases: Martin Roydon Evans, Martin Royden Evans, Martin Wayne Evans, Anthony Hall and Paul Kelly, and has 'ME' tattooed on his right arm.
Evans is 5ft 11in to 6ft, stocky, has short brown hair that is going grey and blue eyes.
Paul Lockwood, 41, is sought by Greater Manchester Police for allegedly raping a girl between the ages of six and 10. He is 5ft 6in, white with brown eyes and hair, and has thin features.
Timur Mehmet, 39, from Buckinghamshire, is wanted by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs after being convicted in his absence and jailed for eight years for conspiracy to cheat the public revenue in a £25 million fraud. He is 5ft 10in to 6ft, and slim with black hair. He is British but of Asian origin.
Costas Sampson, 21, is a Greek-Cypriot wanted by the Metropolitan Police. He is accused of raping a woman who he met at a club. She became ill after accepting a drink from a stranger, and Sampson and his friend offered to take her home to Ruislip, Middlesex, where she was attacked. Sampson is also accused of stealing her mobile phone and her flatmate’s laptop and games console. He is 5ft 9in with a Mediterranean complexion and has brown eyes and closely cropped black hair.
Mehmet Salih, 41, from the Republic of Cyprus, is wanted by Leicestershire Police for alleged cocaine dealing between December 2010 and November 2011. When he was arrested he had £20,000 as well as large amounts of cocaine, the force claims. He has used the alias Aynur Mehmet Salih and is 5ft 6in with brown eyes and short brown hair. He has a scar on his right eye.
Wayne Smith, 38, is wanted by West Midlands Police for his role in an horrific road accident that killed a 22-year-old man. The victim was hit by one car and badly injured, and was then struck by a second car driven by Smith, and was dragged for 350 yards. Smith fled the scene and was convicted at Birmingham Crown Court of causing death by dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice. He is 6ft 1in, slim and has blue eyes and short, fair hair. He has used an alternative date of birth January 28 1971, but he was actually born on that day in 1974.
Wayne Smith's girlfriend Julie Anne Skelding, 40, is wanted by West Midlands Police for perverting the course of justice. She is accused of giving a false witness statement about the accident. Skelding is 5ft 5in, slim and has brown, highlighted, shoulder length hair and brown eyes. She has a small red rose tattooed on her left arm.
Martin John Power, 46, is sought by the Metropolitan Police for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to defraud mortgage lenders out of an estimated £7 million. He is around 5ft 10in, and has dark hair and a scar on his chin.
Martin Evans, 50, from Swansea in Wales, is wanted for drug dealing, theft and fraudulent trading by the Serious Organised Crime Agency. He ran a drug dealing gang between 1999 and 2001, smuggling the drugs into Britain and laundering the proceeds by converting cash into foreign currencies and moving it to the Netherlands, where it was used to buy more drugs.
Evans is also wanted for stealing thousands of pounds of investments made to a company he ran, called Ostrich Centre Limited, in 1995. He fled after being released from prison on licence in 2011.
He has used the aliases: Martin Roydon Evans, Martin Royden Evans, Martin Wayne Evans, Anthony Hall and Paul Kelly, and has 'ME' tattooed on his right arm.
Evans is 5ft 11in to 6ft, stocky, has short brown hair that is going grey and blue eyes.
Paul Lockwood, 41, is sought by Greater Manchester Police for allegedly raping a girl between the ages of six and 10. He is 5ft 6in, white with brown eyes and hair, and has thin features.
Timur Mehmet, 39, from Buckinghamshire, is wanted by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs after being convicted in his absence and jailed for eight years for conspiracy to cheat the public revenue in a £25 million fraud. He is 5ft 10in to 6ft, and slim with black hair. He is British but of Asian origin.
Costas Sampson, 21, is a Greek-Cypriot wanted by the Metropolitan Police. He is accused of raping a woman who he met at a club. She became ill after accepting a drink from a stranger, and Sampson and his friend offered to take her home to Ruislip, Middlesex, where she was attacked. Sampson is also accused of stealing her mobile phone and her flatmate’s laptop and games console. He is 5ft 9in with a Mediterranean complexion and has brown eyes and closely cropped black hair.
Mehmet Salih, 41, from the Republic of Cyprus, is wanted by Leicestershire Police for alleged cocaine dealing between December 2010 and November 2011. When he was arrested he had £20,000 as well as large amounts of cocaine, the force claims. He has used the alias Aynur Mehmet Salih and is 5ft 6in with brown eyes and short brown hair. He has a scar on his right eye.
Wayne Smith, 38, is wanted by West Midlands Police for his role in an horrific road accident that killed a 22-year-old man. The victim was hit by one car and badly injured, and was then struck by a second car driven by Smith, and was dragged for 350 yards. Smith fled the scene and was convicted at Birmingham Crown Court of causing death by dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice. He is 6ft 1in, slim and has blue eyes and short, fair hair. He has used an alternative date of birth January 28 1971, but he was actually born on that day in 1974.
Wayne Smith's girlfriend Julie Anne Skelding, 40, is wanted by West Midlands Police for perverting the course of justice. She is accused of giving a false witness statement about the accident. Skelding is 5ft 5in, slim and has brown, highlighted, shoulder length hair and brown eyes. She has a small red rose tattooed on her left arm.
Martin John Power, 46, is sought by the Metropolitan Police for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to defraud mortgage lenders out of an estimated £7 million. He is around 5ft 10in, and has dark hair and a scar on his chin.
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