One of UK’s ‘most wanted’ men returned to Wales after four years on the run

One of the UK’s most wanted men has been brought back to Wales after spending four years on the run.

Calvin Parris, 34, from Cardiff, was detained by Portuguese police near the town Boliqueime in the Algarve on October 3, South Wales Police has said.

Parris, who has been charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine, was named one of the National Crime Agency’s (NCA) most wanted fugitives after disappearing in November 2020.

He is accused of being the final member of an organised crime group involved in a complex conspiracy to traffic class A drugs into south Wales using the encrypted EncroChat platform.

Officers from the NCA escorted him back to the UK on October 15 and he was taken into custody by South Wales Police.

In 2022, the NCA said Parris, who was described as having gold upper teeth, was thought to be in Spain.

He appeared at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday and was remanded into custody until his next appearance at Cardiff Crown Court in November.

Detective Sergeant Ceri Young, of South Wales Police, said: “Calvin Parris is believed to have left the UK on or before November 29, 2020, following the arrest of several co-conspirators.

“He never returned and a joint operation involving South Wales Police, the NCA and other European law enforcement agencies was launched to trace and arrest him.

“A European Arrest Warrant was issued for his arrest on December 22, 2020.

“We are pleased to report that Parris has been arrested in Portugal following a joint investigation with the NCA and other European law enforcement partners.”

Neil Keeping, NCA international regional manager, said: “The arrest of Calvin Parris highlights our commitment to tracing those accused of serious criminality and returning them to the UK to face charges.

“It should also serve as a warning to other fugitives on the run – no matter how you try and evade law enforcement, we will always catch up with you.

“My thanks go to our partners at the Portuguese judicial police who worked tirelessly to locate and detain Parris, and to our officers for bringing him back into the custody of South Wales Police.”