Italian mafia member nabbed in Tangiers

Moroccan security forces Wednesday arrested an Italian man suspected to be leader of The Camorra crime syndicate.

The 53-year old man is wanted in Italy over alleged criminal acts including blackmailing of businessmen, violence, international homicide, and drug trafficking.

The arrest comes in line with an international arrest warrant issued by Italian authorities and a notice by Interpol which has plagued the Italian “red”, the Moroccan internal security directorate (DGSN) said in a statement.

The man will be deported to Italy upon processing the Italian government’s demand, le statement also said.

The arrest of the suspect is part of Morocco’s international cooperation in the fight against international criminal networks and comes after the arrest of two high-profile European criminals in the last six weeks.

In March, Moroccan police arrested another Italian suspected of being a leading member of the Mazarella club, affiliated with the Camorra. The suspect was on the run since 2014.

In addition, Moroccan police also arrested Spanish suspect Roberto Izquierdo Riegi otherwise known as “The Russian” in Tetouan.

He was sentenced to 58 years in prison by the court in Cadiz, Spain, for kidnapping and murder. He escaped prison in November last year, during a stay at a hospital in Madrid, and was on the run for 5 months.

Morocco’s efforts against criminal networks are acclaimed internationally.

In addition to their role in combating criminal networks, Morocco’s DGSN also combat irregular immigration, human trafficking, drug trafficking, and terrorism.