Police Apprehend International Fugitive in Weiterstadt

In Weiterstadt, a 56-year-old man, sought by international authorities, was apprehended during a police operation on Friday. The incident occurred around 11:30 AM when undercover officers from the Südhessen police precinct spotted the suspect's vehicle on the A5 highway.

Upon attempting to stop the vehicle, the suspect accelerated and attempted to flee, leading officers on a chase that diverted them from the highway to the L3262 road towards Dreieich. The pursuit escalated when the driver abandoned his car at a closed railway crossing and attempted to escape on foot by veering onto a rural path.

However, a patrol unit from the Neu-Isenburg police station successfully cornered and arrested him. A subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered a forged Romanian identity card. Verification of the man's identity revealed that he lacked a permanent residence in Germany and was subject to an outstanding arrest warrant.

The warrant was issued in Romania, where he was convicted for organized cigarette smuggling and tax evasion, resulting in a sentence of nine years and ten months imprisonment. Following his arrest, he spent the night in a detention cell and was presented to a judge the following day, who confirmed the extradition order. He has since been transferred to a correctional facility.