A suspected murderer with links to Northamptonshire is one of 18 high-risk foreign criminals believed to be hiding in the UK, the Metropolitan Police has revealed.
Violent robbers, drug traffickers and rapists are among the offenders being targeted by the Met’s extradition unit, as “extensive” police enquiries have yet to reveal their whereabouts.
They include Dritan Rexhepi, aged 32, who is wanted in Albania and Belgium for murder and aggravated burglary.
It is the third time the force has run Operation Sunfire, with a view to tracing and arresting murderers, violent robbers, drug traffickers and other criminals, then putting them before the extradition courts to face justice abroad.
Rexhepi, who also goes by the name of Gramos Rexhepaj, is an Albanian known to have links to London, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire.
He is wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of two men and the non-fatal shooting of another in Albania in 1999.
It is also alleged that in November 2005, Rexhepi and others forced entry into a home in Belgium where the occupants were tied up and threatened at knife point before a quantity of cash and jewellery was stolen.
Detective Sergeant Peter Rance, who is leading the operation, said: “Today I’m asking the public, do you recognise these faces? Maybe you know where these people live, work or socialise?
“They are wanted to face justice for a multitude of crimes in other countries and it is in the UK’s interests to help find them. If you have any information about these people, please call Crimestoppers so we can arrest them. If you see them call 999 and do not approach them.”
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of any of these people is asked to contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A full list of the 18 men is available on the Metropolitan Police’s website.
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