The third man charged in a 2022 B.C. prison break was arrested last week in Europe, according to police.
The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit and the RCMP's Federal Policing Pacific Region were notified through Ottawa Interpol Friday (Sept. 19) that 49-year-old John Potvin was arrested in Spain.
Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit and RCMP are working with Interpol and other international partners to return Potvin to Canada.
Potvin has been the subject of a Canada-wide warrant, as well as a Red Notice, which is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and arrest a person.
The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit said police had recently obtained a Red Notice for his arrest "as it was learned that he may have fled the country," police said a news release from Saturday.
Police announced Sept. 8 that Potvin, of Ottawa, was one of three men charged in a multi-year investigation into the B.C. prison break of convicted murderer Rabih Alkhalil.
Alkhalil escaped from the North Fraser Pretrial Centre in Coquitlam on July 21, 2022, aided by two men posing as contractors. He is still listed as one of Canada's 25 most wanted.
Potvin, along with 46-year-old Ryan Van Gool of Harrison Hot Springs and 48-year-old Edward Ayoub of Ottawa were all charged with conspiracy to commit prison breach and prison breach, police said during the Sept. 8 news conference.
Potvin was still at large at the time of the news conference. Van Gool was arrested Sept. 5, while Ayoub was in custody on another matter in another province.
