A fugitive drug trafficker sentenced to 14 years in his absence has handed himself in to the authorities in the Netherlands.

James Tarrant, aged 66, from Essex, who featured in the multi-agency Operation Return appeal to track down suspected or convicted criminals on the run, is the second fugitive to walk into a police station this month.

Tarrant was arrested in 2009 as part of a Metropolitan Police investigation in which officers recovered cannabis blocks, two kilos of cocaine, a handgun, ammunition, body armour and approximately £5,000 from a house in Waltham Abbey. After being granted conditional bail, Tarrant absconded and was convicted of drug and firearm offences in 2010.

He was detained on a European Arrest Warrant at Breda Police Station on 19 September, and extradition proceedings are now underway.

Dave Allen, Head of the International Crime Bureau at the National Crime Agency, said:

“To have two fugitives hand themselves in within less than three weeks shows the impact we are having with our ‘Most Wanted’ campaigns. These fugitives really do have nowhere to hide and I would urge any of the remaining individuals to save yourself the trouble and hand yourself in.”

Founder and Chair of Crimestoppers, Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC, said:

“To see another fugitive hand themselves in to law enforcement shows the pressure they are under by the increased publicity that has been generated by recent activity.

“Tarrant is the ninth individual to be arrested as part of Operation Return since it launched in 2010, which leaves only five outstanding – we will find them.”

Robert Mortby, aged 28, from London, who was also wanted by the Metropolitan Police, turned up at a police station in Gibraltar earlier this month. Mortby featured in Operation Captura – the Spanish equivalent of Operation Return. He has since been extradited to the UK.

Operation Return involves the NCA, Crimestoppers, Bel M (Dutch Crimestoppers) and Netherlands law enforcement. It aims to engage the media and the public to help locate fugitives wanted in the UK but believed to be hiding out in and around the city of Amsterdam.

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