World News
Spanish police arrest Albanian fugitive wanted after multiple prison escapes
The suspect, linked to previous jailbreaks in Italy and Belgium, was detained in Tarragona under a European arrest warrant.
The short version
- Spanish police arrested an Albanian national nicknamed the "escape wizard" in Tarragona pursuant to a European arrest warrant issued by Italy.
- The suspect previously escaped from four prisons in Italy and Belgium, most recently fleeing a maximum-security prison in Milan in December 2025.
- During the arrest, an associate injured two officers before fleeing, leaving behind a firearm.
- The suspect was remanded in custody without bail in Tarragona as he awaits extradition to Italy.
Key facts
- Spanish National Police arrested an Albanian national identified by the initials TT in Tarragona under an Italian European arrest warrant.[The Guardian]
- The fugitive had previously escaped from prisons in Terni in 2009, Parma in 2013, a Belgian facility in 2013, and a Milan maximum-security jail in December 2025.[The Guardian]
- Prior to his 2025 escape, the suspect was serving a sentence scheduled to run through 2048 for offenses including violent robbery, theft, and drug dealing.[The Guardian]
- During the arrest, one of the suspect's companions injured two officers and discarded a Sig Sauer handgun before escaping.[The Guardian]
- Officers found the suspect in possession of fraudulent identity documents and two suspected counterfeit €500 banknotes.[The Guardian]
What remains uncertain
- The suspect has not been officially named by authorities, though news reports link his initials to Toma Taulant.[The Guardian]
- The associate who injured two police officers and discarded a pistol remains at large.[The Guardian]
- The recovered €500 banknotes have been sent to the Bank of Spain to confirm whether they are counterfeit.[The Guardian]
Sources
- ‘Escape wizard’ who has broken out of four prisons is arrested in SpainThe Guardian - World