To keep his identity obscured, alleged drug trafficker burned his skin and got fingerprint implants
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."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Is MAGA melting down?Today's Big Question Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson, Laura Loomer and more are feuding
-
Kushner drops Trump hotel project in SerbiaSpeed Read Affinity Partners pulled out of a deal to finance a Trump-branded development in Belgrade
-
Son arrested over killing of Rob and Michele ReinerSpeed Read Nick, the 32-year-old son of Hollywood director Rob Reiner, has been booked for the murder of his parents
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
