Jay Slater's disappearance in Tenerife has links to an "established criminal network", ex-Met cop has claimed.
The teen went missing on the island three weeks ago, with former Metropolitan Police cop Mark Williams-Thomas now claiming the disappearance has links to an "established criminal network" in a video posted online. Jay, an apprentice bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, left a rave in Tenerife by car with two British men and stayed the night at an Airbnb in the middle of a rural village before vanishing. The trip was Jay's first ever time travelling abroad.
He was last heard from on the morning of Monday, June 17 as he attempted to make his way back to the touristy town of Los Christianos, where he had been staying with friends Lucy Law and Brad Hargreaves. But despite a huge two-week-long search operation, Jay has not been seen since.
Earlier this week, the case took a dark turn with the revelation that one of the last individuals to see Jay was found to be a convicted drug dealer.
The news that the disappearance has underworld connections was delivered by TV detective Mark Williams-Thomas, who flew to Tenerife to help find Jay, and said further digging into the investigation has opened up an established criminal network with links to drugs, violent crime and theft.
He said: "As part of this investigation we have sought to speak with all of the people Jay had contact with whilst in Tenerife. The result of this digging has opened up an established criminal network with links to drugs, violent crime and theft. At this stage I cannot expand any further on what we now know.
"I'm unable to say if this network has anything to do with Jay's disappearance but remain open-minded as we continue to investigate."
Mark also revealed on Sunday Ayub Qassim, 31, who was imprisoned nine years ago for orchestrating a scheme to inundate Wales with Class A drugs, is the mystery 'Jonny Vegas' who drove the missing teen to the deserted holiday rental.
Mark shared a video online updating the public in which he revealed he had spoken with Qassim. He said: “In the last 24 hours I have spoken in detail with Ayub Qassim, who is also known as Jonny Vegas.
“He told me he was on the (Veronicas) Strip in Playa de las Americas and said that Jay wanted to carry on partying and that he hadn't anywhere to stay, so he (Qassim) invited him back to his rental. In the car they played music all the way, they stopped once to get a can of fizzy drink, and there was three of them in the car, Jay in the back and Qassim's friend in the front."
He continued to explain that once they were at the Airbnb, the unnamed friend went to sleep but Jay proceeded to be given a blanket and phone charger before leaving for to get a bus that "comes every 10 minutes".
“Once at the property, his friend opened the door, and went to the left and went straight to sleep. Jay walked in, and Qassim walked in behind him, went upstairs, and got him a red blanket," Mark said.
The TV detective added: “Qassim said 'Yo bro, the sofa's for you there' and he gave him a towel if he needed a shower. Jay also asked for a cigarette and Qassim gave him a Camel cigarette and left it on the side. Jay then asked for a charger and then went into Qassim's friend room, while he was sleeping and got the charger.”
Mr Williams-Thomas added that Qassim told him he then went to sleep and was awoken by the sound of the door buzzing. He added: “Qassim opened the door and spoke to a woman and man and they told him to move his car, which he did and he said he could see Jay chatting to a woman.
“He said that after moving the car, he came back and saw Jay had his trainers on and he told Qassim that the woman had said he could get a bus 'every ten minutes'. Qassim said to him "Chill, mate, I'll drop you off later, when I wake up' but he said Jay said 'nah, I need some scran, I'm hungry"
“Jay said he had been told by the woman the bus to Los Cristianos was every ten minutes and Qassim said there was no bus and added "Do what you like' before going to sleep."
It's believed Qassim invited the teenager back to the property after a rave in the south of the island before Jay went missing the next day. The 31-year-old, along with an unnamed friend, has been in touch with the Spanish police and extended his stay in Tenerife to assist with the investigation. He previously spoke to the Daily Mail when he said Jay had "left the house alive". A Snapchat photo sent by Jat to his friends at 7.30am the day he disappeared shows him with a cigarette in a red blanket.
Continuing the video, Mark said: "The evidence still strongly supports that Jay left the Airbnb suddenly, walked for thirty minutes before wandering off road on the Monday where he dropped a location ping. However, as part of this investigation, we sought to identify and speak with as many people as Jay had contact with whilst in Tenerife.
"The result of this digging has opened up an established criminal network with links to drugs, violent crime and theft. You will appreciate that at this stage I cannot expand any further on what we now know. However, at this stage I'm unable to say if this network has anything to do with Jay's disappearance."