Footage and
photographs available
Time is running out for the last two men on a law enforcement
hit-list of armed robbery suspects.
Five of the seven wanted men have been arrested in a multi-agency
crackdown on north west organised crime, four of them while they
were on the run in Spain. A dramatic dawn raid outside Amsterdam
yesterday, in which Sean Devalda, 24, was captured, leaves just
two more fugitives in investigators’
sights.
Devalda’s brother Stephen, 27, and Andrew Moran, 28, are believed
to be hiding out somewhere in Europe. Both are suspected of
involvement in an armed robbery on a Royal Mail vehicle at the
Asda store in Colne in May 2005. A guard was injured and £25,000
was taken. Lancashire Police issued European Arrest Warrants on
both men.
The seven men are all wanted as part of Project Gulf – a
multi-agency initiative to combat organised crime in Salford.
The Serious Organised Crime Agency’s Matt Burton said:
"We believe these seven men are members of organised
crime gangs that have caused havoc and spread fear for years. On
behalf of the communities they have preyed on, the Gulf team has
said enough is enough.
"Excellent cooperation with Amsterdam Police led to the
capture of Sean Devalda. Now we have his brother Stephen and
Andrew Moran in our sights. I am confident that with the support
of the public and the continuing efforts of our officers we are
closing the net on them.
"The organisations involved in Project Gulf pooled their
collective resources to find these fugitives and bring them back.
This is a system which works, and I have no doubt we will be using
it again".
The joint SOCA and Amsterdam Police operation to arrest Sean
Devalda involved a team of armed officers, a helicopter and
divers. Another man, aged 28, was also arrested. During searches,
officers recovered a firearm, €50,000 cash and a number of high
value watches.
Devalda is wanted by Greater Manchester Police in connection with
firearms offences and conspiracy to rob a Group 4 'cash
in transit' vehicle in February 2007. Three men have
already been jailed for a total of 25 years. Devalda is in custody
and extradition proceedings are underway.
Chief of Detectives for Amsterdam Police, Commissioner Arno
Julsing, said: "The information exchange plays a big role
in these cases. I am very pleased we have been able to make this
arrest. It’s another example of successful international
cooperation with our British colleagues."
Chief Superintendent Kevin Mulligan from GMP's Salford
Division said: "This demonstrates the Gulf team continues
to put huge pressure on organised crime groups from Salford. We
have been working hard to tackle organised crime in the city and
make it a safer place for local residents.
"I hope the Salford community will be reassured that
we are leaving no stone unturned in our continued efforts to track
down fugitives on the run."
If you wish to pass on information about the whereabouts of
Stephen Devalda or Andrew Moran anonymously, please call
Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 from the UK or 900 555 111 from Spain.
If you have problems viewing the images that accompany this
release, please follow the link below;
http://nds.coi.gov.uk/Content/Detail.aspx?ReleaseID=417811&NewsAreaID=2&ClientID=297
Notes to editors
1. Amsterdam Police have footage of the dawn raid, which
includes the arrest of Sean Devalda, and this can be downloaded by
visiting ftp.rtvnh.nl (Login:
politie-amsterdam Password: rtvnh4politie). Mugshots of Devalda,
his brother Stephen and Andrew Moran can be downloaded from www.soca.gov.uk
2. Project Gulf involves a wide variety of agencies using all the
tools and powers at their disposal to not only put criminals
behind bars but also disrupt their lifestyles. This includes where
they meet, how they launder money, how they travel and how they
exploit legitimate businesses in order to carry out criminal activities.
In the last six months, officials have removed licences for
illegal security businesses; closed down a public house that
criminals were using as a meeting place; captured fugitives living
overseas; and seized tyres from a company that was planning to
illegally export them all over the world.
The Gulf team includes representatives from Greater Manchester
Police, Salford Council, the Serious Organised Crime Agency, UK
Border Agency, Environment Agency, Greater Manchester Fire and
Rescue Service, DVLA, Department of Work and Pensions, Security
Industry Association, City West Housing Trust and HM Revenue
& Customs.
3. The four fugitives previously captured and extradited to the
UK as part of Project Gulf are:
Richard Smith, 29, and Jared Jones, 28, who fled England in May
2010 after Smith escaped from a prison van. The van had just
arrived at Salford Magistrates’ Court when it was attacked by two
armed and masked men. They escaped in a white transit van. Both
were wanted in connection with an arson attack in Walkden in 2009
which caused £1.2 million worth of damage. Vital forensic evidence
linking a car to an armed robbery was destroyed in the fire. Smith
and Jones were arrested in September 2010 shortly after a botched
bank robbery attempt in Benissa, Alicante, in which they are
believed to have been involved. Smith and Jones are currently
remanded in custody awaiting trial.
Lee Tansey, aged 33, was captured in November 2010 as he was
about to board a plane at Malaga Airport. He was wanted by West
Yorkshire Police in connection with robberies at the Lloyds TSB
bank in Elland in June 2009 and the HSBC bank in Marsh,
Huddersfield, in June 2009. Lancashire Police also wanted him as
he is believed to have been involved in an armed robbery at the
Lloyds TSB bank on Duckworth St, Darwen, in June 2008. Tansey is
remanded in custody awaiting trial.
Rickton Henry, aged 30, was arrested at a house in the Mijas area
of Spain in November 2010. He is wanted in connection with the
same two West Yorkshire offences as Tansey. Henry is also remanded
in custody awaiting trial.
For more information contact the SOCA press office on 0870 268 8100
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Contacts:
NDS Enquiries
Phone: For enquiries please contact the issuing dept
ndsenquiries@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Richard Sellors
Phone: 0870 496 5445
richard.sellors@soca.x.gsi.gov.uk