Police on the Costa Blanca have arrested an Irish fugitive wanted over drugs and weapons offences.

He was held in Teulada a half-hour drive north of Benidorm despite trying to show police a fake ID photo to avoid his arrest.

Civil Guard officers said today the 33-year-old was wanted on a European Arrest issued by the Irish authorities. An elite fugitives unit based in Madrid assisted local police.

A spokesman for the Civil Guard said: “The Civil Guard has arrested an Irish fugitive in Teulada who was being hunted by authorities in his country for eight offences related to drug trafficking and unlawful weapons possession.

“Everything started with an anonymous tip-off. A duty court in Denia near Teulada has remanded him in jail, pending the development of the extradition process.”

Explaining the Civil Guard had initially been told the fugitive could be in a neighbouring municipality to the one where he was held, the spokesman added: “Officers received information about the presence in the municipality of Benissa of an Irish national who was the subject of a European Arrest Warrant relating to the drugs and unlawful weapons charges.

“The Civil Guard in the area launched an investigation with the assistance of the centralised UCO fugitives unit.

“In the subsequent days several operations were carried out to identify people and locate the fugitive.

“These actions resulted in success when during special police preventative control work in Teulada, a vehicle with the fugitive inside was identified.

“He initially tried to deceive officers by showing a photo on an ID document that had been faked, but he was nonetheless arrested.

“As well as being held on foot of the European Arrest Warrant, he was also held on suspicion of forgery.”

The operation to track down the arrested man began on December 12th and the arrest took place three days later, but details were only made public today.

The man wanted by the Irish authorities is thought to remain behind bars on the Costa Blanca, although authorities were not able to offer any immediate confirmed information today on his current whereabouts.

Police released images of the fugitive, wearing black jeans, a black jumper and white trainers, being put into a patrol car in handcuffs flanked by two armed cops.

Well-placed sources said the European Arrest Warrant that led to his detention had been issued by a court in Dublin.