Stanislav Stamenov, 41, fled Romania after he was sentenced in 2009.
Image: Supplied
A wanted fugitive who was found hiding in Cape Town is expected to appear in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Stanislav Stamenov, 41, a Bulgarian national, was sentenced to 16 years imprisonment in Romania in 2009, but fled the country shortly thereafter.
Stamenon, who was wanted by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) for drug trafficking, was arrested by the South African Police Service National Intervention Unit (NIU) on Friday, February 26, at his home.
National police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, said Stamenov was part of a large criminal organised group involved in the trafficking of heroin into Romania.
“It's believed that he was hiding in Cape Town for several years, where he was now working as a gym instructor in several well-known fitness clubs. He was placed on an Interpol red notice, which is a global search request to law enforcement agencies across the world for assistance in apprehending a fugitive,” Mathe said.
In a separate incident, a South African man will be surrendered to Interpol South Africa by Zimbabwean authorities.
Alton Ncube, 33, is wanted by police in Gauteng for the murder of his wife in February 2025.
“The murder took place in Jabulani, Soweto, and at the time of the incident, Ncube captured everything on video and shared it widely with friends and close family members. He shortly thereafter fled the country to Zimbabwe and was arrested in that country. Ncube will be handed over at the Beitbridge border post on March 4, 2026,” Mathe said.
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