A British drug trafficker who spent six years on the run was finally captured in Marbella after being tracked down to a strip club.
Dominic McInally, one of the UK’s most wanted fugitives, was arrested in the early hours of February 28, 2020.
It brought an end to a long international manhunt linked to a major cocaine trafficking network that authorities believe was raking in over €1million per month.
The case was this week revisited in a crime series by the respected Liverpool Echo in the UK.
The case dates back to 2014, when investigators discovered six kilograms of cocaine hidden in a car intercepted in Crosby, Merseyside.
The drugs were around 75% pure and police believed the shipment could have been cut and expanded to roughly 25kg before being sold on the streets.
The cocaine had been hidden in a specially constructed compartment inside the transmission tunnel of a Seat Leon, which investigators later described during the trial as a ‘Trojan horse’.
Members of the gang had travelled to the border between France and Belgium to collect the drugs before smuggling them back to the UK in the modified vehicle.
Police said the organised crime group was capable of generating more than £1 million a month from cocaine trafficking.
In 2016, five members of the gang were jailed for a combined total of 48 years. Those convicted included James Gradwell, Christopher Corry, Ryan McQueen, Jordan Talbot and William Marsh.
However, the alleged leader of the operation, McInally, managed to escape before the arrests were carried out.
A European Arrest Warrant was issued for him and he quickly became one of the UK’s most sought-after fugitives.
During the trial, Judge Norman Wright said the fugitive had been at the very top of the criminal conspiracy and played a leading role in the operation.
After his disappearance, British authorities launched a major campaign to locate him.
McInally was added to Operation Captura, a joint initiative run by Crimestoppers to track down British criminals hiding in Spain.
His image appeared on wanted posters, billboards and publicity campaigns across both the UK and Spain in an attempt to generate public tips.
Before fleeing, McInally had lived in a luxury apartment complex in Formby, an exclusive area known for its wealthy residents and Premier League footballers.
Police searches uncovered a lavish lifestyle funded by drug money.
Officers discovered designer clothing and accessories worth around £85,000, including 44 pairs of luxury shoes.
Nearly £35,000 in cash was also found hidden in biscuit and chocolate tins beneath the floors of family homes.
Investigators also discovered that he had travelled to Dubai in 2013 and 2014 despite having no known legitimate income between 2007 and 2014.
His time on the run eventually ended on the Costa del Sol.
The Policia Nacional carried out the arrest during an operation at the Casa Masa strip club in Marbella following cooperation between Spanish authorities, the UK’s National Crime Agency and Merseyside Police.
At the time of his arrest, McInally was 30 years old and still listed among Britain’s most wanted fugitives.
During the court proceedings, he denied involvement in the cocaine operation and claimed his money came from trading cars and jewellery.
He insisted he was only friends with some members of the gang.
The jury rejected his version of events and found him guilty of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
McInally was later sentenced to 12 years in prison. Authorities estimated he had made more than £250,000 from the criminal operation.
However, when investigators attempted to recover his illegal profits, they were only able to seize his collection of luxury clothing, as most of the money had already disappeared.
Following the conviction, Merseyside Police said the case demonstrated the importance of international cooperation between law enforcement agencies.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
