Leader of one of Europe’s most feared gangs captured after being dragged from limo at gunpoint by cops in London

The alleged boss of one of Europe’s most feared organised crime gangs has been arrested in London after a lengthy international manhunt.

Ion Gusan, 54, a Moldovan national also known as “Nicu Patron”, was pulled from his chauffeur-driven Mercedes S-Class by officers of the UK’s National Crime Agency near Tower Bridge in east London. The arrest followed a coordinated “hard stop” operation that brought his vehicle to a halt while he was travelling with members of his family.

Authorities said Gusan had been on the run for three years and was believed to have been living in the Canary Wharf area. He is wanted by French authorities, where he was sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison last May for offences including armed robbery, violent extortion, racketeering, smuggling, money laundering and membership of an organised criminal group.

Investigators describe Gusan as the leader of a major Eastern European crime network known as “The Patron”, which is alleged to have close links to the Russian mafia. The group, formed in Moldova in the early 2000s, is believed to have expanded across Europe and has been linked to migrant smuggling operations into Western European countries.

A source familiar with the investigation said Gusan had operated at the highest levels of international organised crime for more than two decades, describing his arrest as a significant breakthrough for British law enforcement.

The case has renewed concerns about London’s reputation as a safe haven for high-profile foreign criminals, with authorities stressing that international cooperation was key to tracking and detaining the fugitive.