Shahid Hussain, a man sought by the National Crime Agency (NCA) in connection with Operation Stovewood, has been arrested. Bulgarian police officers detained the 48-year-old Pakistani national at the Kapitan Andreevo border post on November 26 as he attempted to enter the country from Turkey.

Hussain, who previously resided in Rotherham, is wanted for his alleged involvement in the indecent assault of a 14-year-old girl in 2003. Although he was charged with the offences in July 2018, he failed to appear in court, resulting in the Crown Prosecution Service obtaining a European Arrest Warrant.

NCA Operations Manager Stuart Cobb expressed satisfaction with the arrest, stating, “Hussain has been wanted by the NCA for more than five years, and we were always determined that he be brought back to the UK to face those charges. We will be working with our partners at the CPS and in Bulgaria to ensure that happens and the extradition process continues.”

Operation Stovewood, initiated in 2014, aims to investigate cases of non-familial child sexual exploitation that occurred in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013. The NCA’s efforts have resulted in over 200 arrests and 26 convictions thus far, with more than 50 active investigations ongoing under the Operation Stovewood banner.

While the NCA remains committed to seeing all current investigations through the criminal justice process, which is anticipated to continue until 2027, the agency has announced that it will no longer take on new investigations from January 1, 2024.

Individuals who believe they were victims of child sexual abuse in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013 or possess information that may assist investigations are encouraged to contact the NCA Control Centre at 0370 496 7622, quoting Operation Stovewood, or email [email protected].