The Policía Nacional has announced the arrest of Daniel Vázquez Patiño, one of Spain’s ten most wanted criminals, in the town of Meicende, Arteixo (A Coruña). The arrest took place on Thursday as part of a special police operation, following years of investigation.
Spain Press Editorial Team
Vázquez Patiño, 46, was wanted for abuse and sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl and had been on the country’s official list of most dangerous fugitives since the end of 2025.
Police operation and arrest
According to police sources, the arrest followed several weeks of surveillance by special units of the Policía Nacional. When officers attempted to apprehend Vázquez Patiño at the apartment where he was hiding, he tried to attack an officer of the Grupo Operativo Especial (GOE) with a knife. The attack failed, and the officer was unharmed.
After his arrest, the fugitive was taken into police custody and is expected to appear in court shortly to answer for both the original sexual offences and the attack on the officer.
Fugitive profile
The police had previously released a description to aid in the search:
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Age: 46
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Build: stocky
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Height: approx. 1.70 m
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Hair: brown with receding hairline
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Eyes: brown
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Skin: fair
The Spanish Ministry of the Interior described Vázquez Patiño as ‘highly dangerous’, both because of the severity of his crimes and his ability to evade justice.
Background on the list of most wanted criminals
The list of the ’10 most wanted’ was published at the end of 2025 to intensify the search for serious offenders, including sex offenders, drug traffickers, and human traffickers.
With the arrest of Vázquez Patiño, five of Spain’s ten most wanted fugitives have now been captured. Among those recently apprehended are:
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Juan Herrera Guerrero, recently arrested in Nicaragua, wanted for sexual assault of a minor and extortion.
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Martiño Ramos Soto, a teacher from Galicia who fled to Cuba after being convicted of sexually abusing a minor.
The police continue to urge the public to come forward with information to help capture the remaining fugitives.
Reactions and next steps
The arrest is being hailed by the Policía Nacional as a major success in the fight against serious crime, with the protection of children and public safety being a key focus for the authorities.
Vázquez Patiño will shortly be handed over to the judiciary to answer for both the abuse offences and the attack on an officer.
