Tottenham Turks gang leader who fled prison arrested in Moldova after international manhunt

Turkish national Izzet Eren was sentenced to 21 years in prison for firearms offence

Izzet Eren has been serving his sentence in Turkey before going on the run (Met Police)

A leader of a north London gang has been arrested in Molodova after absconding from prison in Turkey.

Turkish national, Izzet Eren, 39, was sentenced to jail in 2015 for 21 years for a firearms offence.

The senior leader of gang Tottenham Turks was serving his sentence when he was transferred to a prison in Turkey in August 2019, and absconded from custody a month later.

Commander Fiona Mallon, Specialist Crime, said: “The Metropolitan Police Serious Crime Manhunt team works around the clock to track down the criminals ‘most wanted’ by the Met.

The senior leader of gang Tottenham Turks was serving his sentence when he was transferred to a prison in Turkey in August 2019, and absconded from custody a month later (Getty Images)

“In this case, a hugely complex investigation was launched to establish Eren’s whereabouts, with a wide range of investigative and sensitive intelligence opportunities exploited.

“This arrest sends a clear message to all those who commit serious crime in London: if you run, we will locate you and you will be brought to justice.”

Mr Eren was arrested in October 2015 after being caught with a loaded pistol and a machine gun in north London while allegedly on his way to carry out a shooting.

An attempt was made to break Eren out of the prison van while he was being transferred to Wood Green Crown Court from jail two months later.

Police were able to foil the plot but shot 28-year-old Jermaine Baker in the process.

A police report said that at the time of Mr Baker’s death, Mr Eren had a previous drug trafficking offence and had returned to the UK in breach of a deportation order.

According to the document, Mr Eren is also wanted in Turkey for murder.

The Turkish national was part of a gang that had a long-running feud with rival gang Hackney Turks.

The feud had seen “numerous shootings and murders dating back to 2009 in both London and Turkey,” the report added.