A cache of weapons and illicit drugs was found during a police search at the home of David Ungi in Coín, Málaga. Authorities reported three firearms, including a machine gun, along with loaded magazines, ammunition in multiple calibers, and a stash of drugs that included 15 kilos of cocaine, 19 cannabis plants, and 123 grams of cannabis buds. This discovery formed part of a broader operation by the National Police as they conducted a home search tied to a person of interest who faces extradition from Spain to the United Kingdom. Ungi is a British fugitive wanted for the murder of a young man in Liverpool in 2015. British officials say Ungi left the UK less than 24 hours after Vinny Waddington sustained a fatal crash involving a car and a motorcycle in the Garston area. Although both men were convicted of the crime, Ungi remained on the Merseyside police list for years until his recent arrest along with three associates at a gym in a local shopping center in Málaga. During those arrests, investigators recovered another firearm, a pistol, stored in a waist pouch, along with 350 euros in cash and various items. The subsequent search of the suspects’ home by the Coín Court of First Instance No. 1 revealed the weapons, drugs, and other items, leading to the ongoing case involving weapons, ammunition and explosives storage, drug trafficking, and other related charges. The authorities have also issued an international arrest warrant for the prime suspect involved in the case. The detainees face potential liability on multiple counts, and judicial authorities decided to keep them in custody as the case moves forward.
David Ungi, who has been described in British media as a notorious criminal figure, was located after investigators followed a campaign of public interest created by media coverage that highlighted Britain’s most wanted criminals. The approach allowed authorities from both countries to confirm Ungi’s residence in Coín, where he lived with three local associates. Police statements noted that Ungi led what officials described as a secretive lifestyle designed to minimize risk, including the use of a shoulder bag that he reportedly kept with him at all times, even inside his residence. He reportedly adopted high security measures that made monitoring his movements challenging, and his wife was said to have played a role in facilitating access to the house at times.
The operations began on May 5, with investigators observing Ungi and his three companions moving their routine from their home to a local mall where a gym was located, seemingly to sign up for gym memberships. The arrest happened suddenly, with officers locating a loaded firearm in the bag, cash amounting to 350 euros, and other personal items. Following the arrests, the Coín Court of First Instance No. 1 authorized a search of the group’s residence, where the firearms, drugs, and other materials were recovered. An international arrest warrant was issued for the prime suspect, and the detainees were charged with a range of offenses, including weapons and explosives storage, drug trafficking, and falsification of documents. The court ordered all of them held as the case proceeds.
News of Ungi’s arrest capped a busy week for UK authorities, who were pursuing several priority targets in a short period. On Saturday, April 30, Alex Male, wanted for drug trafficking and identified by British police in Marbella, was arrested at Lisbon airport while attempting to travel with fraudulent travel documents after a journey from Istanbul. Two days later, Callum Halpin, implicated in a murder case in Manchester, was located by Portuguese authorities near Vilamoura in the Algarve region between Albufeira and Faro. The sequence of arrests demonstrates how cross-border cooperation can disrupt organized crime networks that span several countries and continents, including North America, where Canadian and American readers may be following similar cases involving fugitives and weapon seizures in Europe and beyond.