He could have just worn gloves for 15 years straight, but instead, an alleged drug trafficker in Spain cut and burned off the skin of his fingers, then underwent surgery for fingerprint implants.
"It was a very sophisticated, specialist process that took place over a number of years," a Policía Nacional spokeswoman told The Guardian. Police say the man, originally from northwest Spain, was arrested on Tuesday near Madrid after 15 years on the run. His fingerprints were no longer recognizable, and he had also had a hair transplant to alter his appearance.
The man, whose name was not released, used fake documents to take on a new identity as a Peruvian citizen. He also claimed at times to be a Croatian citizen. There were four warrants out for the man's arrest, and police were finally able to nab him when they became aware that he was making frequent trips to Morocco, "presumably to engage in activities related to drug-trafficking."
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