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‘El Rubio,’ Notorious Spanish Robber, Extradited to Peru Over 2008 Drug Case

He now awaits trial in Lima on an aggravated drug‑trafficking charge tied to a 2008 airport seizure.

Overview

  • José Martínez Gómez arrived in Peru on November 27 escorted by Interpol and is being held in a Peruvian prison pending court proceedings.
  • Peruvian anti‑drug police say two suitcases with 10.5 kilograms of cocaine were found at Jorge Chávez airport in June 2008 hidden among turrones, coffee, and packaged bricks.
  • Authorities report the luggage was registered in his name and listed for shipment to Italy, forming the core evidence in the case.
  • He has been wanted by Peruvian justice since 2009 under an international Interpol warrant and now faces a possible sentence of up to 25 years.
  • Martínez Gómez denies the accusations and claims he has never been in Peru, and officials say two earlier extradition attempts failed after he allegedly disrupted flights.