A 45-year-old Spanish citizen was apprehended on Wednesday in Bensafrim, Lagos, Algarve, raising suspicions due to his social media activity.
The man had escaped from Topas Prison in Salamanca, where he was serving a sentence for several serious offenses, having taken advantage of a temporary leave in 2021 to flee.
Despite trying to evade Spanish justice, the fugitive remained active on social media, frequently posting threatening messages aimed at judges and Guardia Civil officers involved in his case.
The Spanish Guardia Civil reported that the fugitive also engaged in a conflict with individuals he distrusted, blaming them for his legal troubles and publicly expressing hostile intentions towards them.
One particularly concerning video showed the man explaining in detail how to make a “powerful explosive.”
The Guardia Civil noted that the investigation was “particularly complex” due to the fugitive’s efforts to conceal his location. However, thorough analysis of his online videos allowed investigators to gather crucial information, narrowing down his whereabouts in Portugal.
Following confirmation of his location, European police and judicial cooperation mechanisms were triggered, resulting in the issuance of a European Arrest Warrant and a European Investigation Order by the judicial authority.
“Thanks to the coordination between the Guardia Civil and the Portuguese Judiciary Police, both mandates were successfully carried out, leading to the arrest of the fugitive,” stated the Guardia Civil.
A video shared by Spanish authorities on social media shows the handcuffed man being led to an unmarked car, and the footage has already been viewed over 10,000 times on X.
#OperacionesGC
Detenido en la localidad portuguesa de Bensafrim (Lagos), peligroso fugitivo huido de prisión. Operativo conjunto Guardia Civil y Policía Judiciaria de Portugal pic.twitter.com/jQMhu6EEw1— Guardia Civil (@guardiacivil) July 10, 2025
In Portugal, the arrest was announced by the Polícia Judiciária (PJ), which collaborated with the Guardia Civil to capture the escaped prisoner.
In a statement to Notícias ao Minuto, the PJ revealed the man had been sentenced to four years and six months in prison, “which he did not serve after escaping during a temporary prison leave.”
The crime dates back to 2018 in Cáceres province, where the detained developed a conflict with neighbors, “threatening several people with death, including assaulting some.” At one point, he assaulted “one victim with a stone to the head, causing serious injuries.”
After fleeing, the Spanish citizen found refuge in southern Portugal, where he was located and detained on Wednesday, July 9.
The detainee has since appeared before the Évora Judicial Court and is awaiting transfer to Spanish judicial authorities for legal proceedings.
He is now facing new charges for serious threats, illegal possession of weapons, obstruction of justice, sentence violation, and assaulting a police officer.
