Albanian 'king of escapes' arrested in Spain

Spanish police have apprehended Toma Taulant, a 42-year-old Albanian fugitive known for his repeated prison breaks, in Tarragona, Catalonia. Taulant, sought by Italian justice, had successfully escaped from four penitentiaries – three in Italy and one in Belgium.

His most recent escape, in December 2025, was from the high-security Opera prison near Milan. Reports indicate he scaled down using knotted bedsheets after sawing through his cell bars. During his arrest on Sunday, August 23, Taulant offered significant resistance, according to investigative sources. He was identified by officers in the Camplar neighborhood of Tarragona based on a physical description from Europol, distinctive tattoos, and a prominent facial scar.

During the arrest, Taulant was in a car with four compatriots. One accomplice reportedly attempted to prevent the arrest, striking two officers before escaping into a crowd while the others fled. Police later found a Sig Sauer pistol, which a witness claimed Taulant discarded. He allegedly presented false documents and had previously been implicated in Girona for weapons and explosives possession. He was also found with suspected counterfeit 500-euro banknotes.

Taulant has been transferred to Mas d'Enric prison in Tarragona pending extradition to Italy. Investigators believe he relocated to Tarragona in January 2026, shortly after his dramatic escape from Opera. His history of escapes began in 2009 from Terni prison, followed by breaks from Parma in 2013 and Lantin, Belgium, in the same year, where he reportedly scaled a wall with the help of other inmates. Authorities are investigating an Albanian mafia network in Tarragona that allegedly protected Taulant and is involved in drug trafficking.