Two British men wanted by UK law enforcement have been arrested in Colombia following an investigation led by the National Crime Agency.

Liam O’Brien, of Liverpool, was wanted by the NCA as part of an investigation into the supply of Class A drugs and firearms.

Robert Taylor, of Newcastle upon Tyne, was wanted by Northumbria Police after he was sentenced in his absence in February 2024 to seven-and-a-half years in prison for drugs offences and money laundering.

O’Brien, 41, of Leyfield Road, West Derby, and Taylor, 54, of Exeter Road, Wallsend, were arrested at a property in Medellin, Colombia’s second largest city, on Wednesday.

They were arrested by officers from the Policia Nacional De Colombia following an investigation to trace and locate the men which involved the NCA and Northumbria Police.

The men remain in custody and extradition proceedings will soon commence.

O’Brien is accused of conspiracy to supply cocaine, heroin, MDMA and cannabis, conspiracy to possess a firearms with intent to endanger life, conspiracy to transfer a prohibited weapon as well as money laundering and perverting the course of justice.

The cases against both men come from Operation Venetic – the NCA-led response to the takedown of encrypted communications platform EncroChat.

Rick Jones, NCA deputy director of International, said: “We’re immensely grateful to Colombia’s National Police for their work to help trace and locate these men and take them into custody.

“These arrests continue to show the NCA’s global reach, its close partnerships with both UK and international police forces and our unwavering determination to ensure UK fugitives are returned to face justice.

“Other fugitives should do the right thing and hand themselves in because we will do everything possible with partners at home and abroad to find them.”

Detective Chief Inspector Marc Michael of Northumbria Police said: “Taylor’s arrest is another example of how we work with partners not just in the UK but around the world to make sure that individuals face justice.

“There are no hiding places for those involved in criminality in the North East and beyond.

“Criminal networks often seek to profit from the most vulnerable members of our communities before reinvesting their money into further illegal enterprises.

“Anyone with any reports on suspicious activity or concerns should always report them to us – no matter how small or insignificant it may seem.”

14 November 2025