According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an illegal immigrant from Colombia who was wanted in Spain on drug trafficking charges was arrested in Massachusetts.
The 25-year-old fugitive, whose name has not been released, was arrested in Revere, Massachusetts, on June 29 for operating an unregistered vehicle without a license.
Later that day, ICE’s deportation division, Boston’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), filed an immigration detention order against him with Massachusetts State Police. A detention order requests local law enforcement to transfer a suspected illegal immigrant to ICE for detention until he can be placed in deportation proceedings.
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ICE and ERO officers detained an illegal immigrant convicted of drug-related offenses in March. (Todd Packard, Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Spanish authorities also issued an arrest warrant for a Colombian man on drug trafficking charges, though an ICE spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the agency does not know the exact nature of the drug trafficking charges.
According to ICE, the migrant illegally entered the United States through the border in Del Rio, Texas, more than two years ago, on July 4, 2022. Border Patrol notified the Colombian national to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge and released him on bail, but the date of his appearance is unclear.
“This Colombian fugitive is wanted by Spanish authorities for suspected toxic substance trafficking in Spain,” said Todd Lyons, director of ERO’s Boston field office.
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ICE and ERO officers in March detained an illegal immigrant convicted of drug trafficking or multiple drug possession charges. (Charles Reed, Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
“He attempted to flee justice in Massachusetts. We will not allow our New England communities to become harbors for criminals from around the world. ERO Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by apprehending the most violent foreign criminals and removing them from our neighborhoods.”
ERO Boston arrested the fugitive at the Massachusetts State Police Revere Garrison after he was released from state custody. ICE said he will remain in ERO custody pending the outcome of his removal proceedings.
ICE said it could not reveal the migrants’ identities because of their privacy rights. A spokesman said that to release details about their identities, someone would need to have a serious criminal history in the U.S., and that the vehicle-related charges do not constitute a serious crime.
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ICE Acting Director P.J. Reckleitner (left) speaks at a press conference in March after agents arrested nearly 200 illegal immigrants on drug charges. (Left: Fox Nation; Right: David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)
Spain is a favored destination for drug traffickers to smuggle illegal drugs, with some dealers using narco-submarines to transport goods from South America to European countries. Some vessels have been known to carry around 7,700 pounds of cocaine.
The Colombian Navy says it has detected at least 13 vessels carrying illegal drugs in the Pacific Ocean so far in 2024.
ICE announced in March that it had arrested more than 200 people during a massive 12-day operation. Illegal immigration The illegal immigrants, many of whom had been convicted of drug trafficking and multiple drug possession charges, came from more than 30 countries and were dealing hard drugs such as cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs, authorities said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
