Convicted drug smuggler from North Yorkshire who fled jail to Spain gets handed another three years

A prisoner jailed for trafficking class A drugs has had his sentence upped by three years after fleeing to Spain and getting caught in an underground cigarette factory.
Daniel DobbsDaniel Dobbs
Daniel Dobbs

Daniel Dobbs, nicknamed 'Dobbo', was sentenced to 13 and a half years in January 2014 for the charges relating to heroin and amphetamines.

The 31-year-old, from Malton in North Yorkshire, went on the run in 2018 after he was found missing from his cell at HMP Hatfield in South Yorkshire.

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An investigation led by the National Crime Agency tracked Dobbs down last year to Spain, where he was living under a false name.

Daniel Dobbs was tracked down by the NCA and found to be living under a new name in SpainDaniel Dobbs was tracked down by the NCA and found to be living under a new name in Spain
Daniel Dobbs was tracked down by the NCA and found to be living under a new name in Spain

Dobbs was arrested on February 11 this year following a Guardia Civil investigation into an underground tobacco factory in Malaga, which was manufacturing cigarettes in unsanitary conditions with low-quality components.

Officers seized over 3 million counterfeit cigarettes; 20kg of hashish, 144kg of marijuana; three weapons, eight GPS tracking devices and a jamming device.

Dobbs was returned to the UK in March 2020 and on 21 July, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for escape from lawful custody, and 12 months concurrently for improper use of an identity document at Lewes Crown Court.

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These will run consecutively with the remainder of his 13 and a half year sentence.

Alison Abbott, of the NCA’s offender lifetime management unit, said: “It is apparent that Dobbs is a harmful and persistent offender who thought he could escape the UK and avoid detection. But together with international partners, we tracked him down, and now he’s back behind bars where he belongs.

“The NCA pursues fugitives relentlessly. No matter where they are, nor how long it takes, we will catch up with those who flee UK justice.”