Most wanted fugitive returned to South Wales after four years on the run

Calvin Parris, from Cardiff was charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs Credit: National Crime Agency

One of the UK’s most wanted men has been brought back to South Wales 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 3 October.

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.

Officers from the the National Crime Agency's Joint International Crime Centre (JICC) escorted him back to the UK on 15 October. He was subsequently taken into custody by South Wales Police.

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

Neil Keeping, NCA International Regional Manager, said the arrest highlighted the NCA's commitment to returning those accused of serious crimes to the UK to face justice.

"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," he said.

"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 added: "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."

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