Fugitive from Vale de Judeus Captured in Spain: What’s Next for Rodolfo Lohrman?

Fugitive Captured

One of the fugitives from the Vale de Judeus prison, Rodolfo Lohrman, has been captured in Spain and was presented to a judge in Madrid. He will remain in preventive detention while awaiting a decision on his extradition request to Portugal.

Photo: Larry Farr - Unsplash

Other Fugitive Detained

Another fugitive from Vale de Judeus, Mark Roscaleer, was also detained on Thursday in Spain and is set to appear before the National Court on Sunday. This information was shared by Luís Nave, the national director of the Portuguese Judicial Police, and Francisco Pardo Piqueras, the director-general of the Spanish National Police, during a press conference in Madrid.

Preventive Detention Confirmed

The judge has ordered preventive detention without bail for Rodolfo Lohrman, as reported by EFE news agency. Luís Naves indicated that both men are expected to be extradited to Portugal promptly.

Background on the Arrests

Rodolfo Lohrman, a 59-year-old Argentine, and Mark Roscaleer, a 36-year-old British citizen, were arrested in Alicante, Spain, under a European Arrest Warrant issued by Portugal. This legal instrument expedites the detention process compared to other international warrants.

Quick Extradition Anticipated

The national director of the Judicial Police expressed hope that the European Arrest Warrant would be executed by the Spanish judicial authorities soon, with a decision on extradition expected in the coming days, despite both men being wanted in other countries.

The recent capture of the last two fugitives follows a persistent and continuous exchange of information between the Portuguese and Spanish police, as noted in the announcement by the Judicial Police on Thursday.

Next Steps

Luís Neves and Francisco Pardo Piqueras elaborated that one of the detainees would be presented to the National Court in Madrid today, while the other will be available for the Justice system on Sunday. European Arrest Warrants are typically executed swiftly, although there may be opposition from the detainees. If there are no objections or unforeseen circumstances, the extradition process is expected to be completed in the upcoming days.