A manhunt was launched today for 16 of Europe's most wanted fugitives thought to be hiding in Britain.

The men, mainly from Eastern Europe, are sought by police for crimes including murder, rape, paedophilia, trafficking and drug smuggling.

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They were thought to be living in areas including London, Middlesex, Sussex, Nottinghamshire and Cheshire.

An international public appeal for information was launched by charity Crimestoppers in London today.

Lord Ashcroft, who founded Crimestoppers, said Operation Infra is a "credible and effective" way of catching villains.

He said: "The initiative is well and truly an international one. Fugitives hide across the globe in all communities, large and small.

"When you look at the criminals that are on the most wanted list they are truly horrible people and need to be caught."

Operation Infra, which stands for International Fugitive Round Up and Arrest, is the charity's first worldwide hunt for suspects.

Up to 120 further suspected criminals were included on a wanted list circulated in the United States, Canada, Jamaica, Holland, Australia and Belgium.

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The move follows the success of a similar operation in southern coastal Spain, a notorious hide-out for British criminals.

Suspected criminals on the British wanted list come from several countries including Poland, Georgia, Lithuania, Albania and Hungary.

Among them are Pole Piotr Bielecki, wanted for a violent sex attack on a woman in his home country, who absconded while on bail in Britain.

Another fugitive, Bogumil Kaczmarkczyk, thought to be in Sussex, is one of Poland's most wanted men after he was linked to a notorious murder and a series of rapes.

A third man, Albanian Agim Kabashi, wanted for a series of sex crimes, was suspected of running a European prostitution network.

A 17th wanted man was held by police in Milton Keynes yesterday after information about two wanted men was leaked to the media.

Hungarian Balazs Asztalos, 25, was caught running a bungee jump as part of a travelling fair in the city.

He is suspected of raping a four-year-old girl and forcing another child to watch.

Dave Cording, of Crimestoppers, said it is impossible to say how many suspected criminals are hiding in Britain or whether they are responsible for further crimes.

He said some of those on the wanted list may have entered the country illegally and are now living under false identities.

Mr Cording said: "There will be some intelligence that suggests these individuals have been or are in the UK and these are serious offences.

"We felt these are individuals where there is a good chance of tracking them down and arresting them."

He added: "We get people who are committing crime elsewhere here in the UK, hiding among our communities.

"Crimestoppers has enjoyed notable success in helping UK law enforcement track down UK fugitives hiding in Spain, so we are confident that the public will yet again help us to locate this new set of internationally wanted criminals."

Other organisations involved in the move included the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (Soca) and the Metropolitan Police.

David Armond, international director at Soca, said: "Crimestoppers has been a major success, shrinking the globe and depriving criminals of places to hide.

"Soca places great value on our collaboration and we are fully behind this new fugitives initiative."

Anyone with information was warned not to approach the individual but to call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.