Highly-trained Scots detectives have warned criminals on the run there is 'nowhere to hide' as they ramp up their hunt for fugitive murder suspect Derek Ferguson .
The 58-year-old, from Glasgow, is wanted in connection with the murder of Thomas Cameron, which took place fifteen years ago. The dad-of-three was fatally shot in the Auchinairn Tavern car park in Bishopbriggs, near Glasgow, where he worked on June 28, 2007.
An international warrant is in place for Ferguson's arrest and he remains high on the UK and Spain's Most Wanted list. Crimestoppers offered a £10,000 reward to anyone with vital information which could lead to an arrest.
Officers understand the fugitive may be in Spain under a different identity.
Police Scotland's Fugitive Active Search Team told the public today that they remain committed to tracking down the suspect killer and won't stop until he is found.
Detective Chief Superintendent (DCS) Vicky Watson, Police Scotland’s Head of the Organised Crime and Counter Terrorism Unit and the senior officer responsible for FAST, said: “The people of Scotland can be reassured that Police Scotland continues to use all investigative resources and intelligence techniques to track down fugitives who have fled Scotland. This includes Derek Ferguson who has been wanted for murder since 2007.
“Our message is clear to those involved in criminality, no matter the passage of time there is no hiding place for you in another country.
“Our FAST investigation will continue until Derek Ferguson is located and arrested. I am appealing for anyone who has any information about his current whereabouts to contact Police Scotland.”
The warning comes after success for the specialist cops working with law enforcement partners in the UK and abroad to track down criminals who have fled Scotland and are wanted on International Arrest Warrants.
The team has recently been involved in the arrest and extradition of convicted murderers Jordan Owens and Christopher Hughes.
Owens went on the run after gunning down new dad Jamie Lee, 23, near to a children's play park in Castlemilk, Glasgow in July 2017. The killing was an escalation of an apparent "low level" feud between the Owens and Lee families.
Owens escaped to Europe after the shooting seemingly but was eventually captured in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon in December 2019.
Hughes was jailed for life last year after being convicted of the "execution" of a Dutch crime writer outside a sex club in Holland. The senior member of a crime clan which had global connections ranging from Colombian drug cartels to the Italian mafia lured Martin Kok, 49, to his death.
He was shot eight times in the head and body in Laren, near Amsterdam, on 8 December 2016.
Hughes, of Glasgow, was also convicted of involvement in serious organised crime between July 2013 and January 2020 - possessing firearms, storing, concealing and transporting criminal money, drugs, and counter-surveillance equipment. He was jailed for 25 years.
Criminals have been successfully returned from countries previously regarded by them as a safe haven - including much of Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, South Africa, Vietnam, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates.
A number of individuals operating within Scottish organised crime groups have also been arrested on International Arrest Warrants and are awaiting extradition. Others are due to appear in court.
DSC Watson added: "Our officers are relentless in their pursuit of criminals who think they are untouchable and above the law or think they can evade justice by fleeing the country.
"The success of the team is testament to the perseverance, diligence and commitment of our officers who continue to work tirelessly to locate and bring fugitives back to Scotland to face the consequences of their criminal activity.
"Our team has established and maintains close working relationships with a wide range of international partners including Europol, INTERPOL, the National Crime Agency, Foreign Law Enforcement Community and European Network of Fugitive Active Search Teams.
"Police Scotland’s commitment to working in partnership with the members of the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce is unwavering to ensure Scotland remains a hostile country for criminals to operate."
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