It remains unknown how and when he fled prior to his arrest in Spain.

Following his arrest, prosecutors will seek Verhoene’s return to Belgium.

The arrest on Thursday afternoon was carried out by the Spanish National Police, with cooperation from the Wetteren-Laarne-Wichelen Local Police Service, the Federal Police’s FAST, the East Flanders Public Prosecutor’s Office, the ENFAST European network, and public tips from inclusion on the most-wanted list.

A Flemish fugitive, Sven Verhoene, who was convicted in Antwerp in 2011 for rape and sentenced to five years in prison plus ten years of probation under supervision, has been arrested in Spain.

Earlier this week, the East Flanders Public Prosecutor's Office issued a fugitive notice about his conviction and fugitive status, noting details of his escape are not disclosed.

The 56-year-old Verhoene was sentenced in 2011 by the Antwerp Court of Appeal to five years’ imprisonment and ten years on probation for rape.

He had been on Belgium and EU’s Most Wanted list and was arrested in Spain after authorities acted on the international manhunt.

An international wanted notice and an Interpol red notice had circulated for Verhoene since last year, reflecting his fugitive status.

The same prosecutor’s office had released a fugitive notice earlier in the week referencing his conviction and fugitive status.

Verhoene had been internationally wanted since late 2024, with an Interpol Red Notice in place.