EXCLUSIVE: One of Romania's most wanted fugitives is arrested in hiding in London

ONE of Romania's most wanted fugitives has been caught in hiding in the UK.

Alin Iovanut, 35, (pictured above in police mugshot) was arrested after being found living in a flat in London and brought before Westminster Magistrates' Court.

He is wanted in Romania to serve a five-year sentence for his part in a robbery in which a man was shot and injured.

His co-defendant, Florin Malița, 36, who was convicted of shooting the man, remains on the run and it is believed he could also be in the UK.

HELD: Malita (left) and Iovanut (right) in custody in Romania before they fled

Daniel Dragoman was shot by Malita in the thigh when he and Iovanut robbed him of a large amount of money in October 2018.

Iovanut was cleared of the attempted murder and convicted of robbery.

Malița was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to eight years and four months in prison plus four tears and four months for traffic and forgery offences.

SEEN HIM? Florin Malița could be at large in the UK (police image)

Between them the pair also had to pay 170,000 euros in compensation and damages.

The pair fled before they could be jailed in March this year.

It is believed Iovanut was in the UK for at least six months during lockdown.

He was remanded in custody by Westminster Magistrates' Court and the case was adjourned.

EXTRADITED: Florin Ghinea was returned to Romania in February

A spokesman for Arad County Police Inspectorate in Romania said: "The British authorities informed us that the man who was placed in international pursuit was found on the territory of Great Britain, and legal measures will be taken in order to extradite him."

The UK has become a hotspot for fugitives from eastern Europe, often involved in serious and organised crime, as Essex News and Investigations has been exclusively revealing.

In February, Romania's most wanted crime boss Florin Ghinea, 46, was finally extradited from the UK to face justice over running a brothel empire.

We were the only news outlet to cover the whole extradition case which lasted 18 months.