Spanish police arrest Mafia boss 'Don Mico' after four years on the run
Italian 'Ndrangheta leader Domenico Paviglianiti has been arrested in Spain after four years as a fugitive. He must serve more than 19 years in prison.
Spanish police arrest Mafia boss 'Don Mico' after four years on the run
After four years on the run, Spanish police have arrested Italian 'Ndrangheta boss Domenico Paviglianiti, known as "Don Mico". The mobster will be extradited to Italy shortly.
The arrest was carried out by Spanish and Italian investigators together with the Interpol I-Can unit. Since 2022, a European arrest warrant had been in place against the leader of the clan from the Italian province of Reggio Calabria. Officers conducted prolonged surveillance of his associates and monitored the travel of his contacts between Italy and Spain.
The decisive lead came when they managed to locate the fugitive in Soria, a town located about 200 kilometres north-east of Madrid. As the wanted man left a restaurant, agents closed in. "Don Mico" was arrested without offering resistance.
Paviglianiti is charged with membership of a criminal organisation, homicide offences and weapons-related offences. According to investigators, he must serve a total sentence of more than 19 years in prison. He had previously been convicted on several occasions, even to life imprisonment, which was later commuted to 30 years. In addition, there are final judgements for murder and drug trafficking.
This is not the first time the mobster has fled to Spain. He had already been captured there in 1996 and 2021. Following each release, he fled again and went into hiding once more. It was not until July 2022 that Italian justice issued a new European arrest warrant, which has now been enforced after approximately four years.
The Calabrian 'Ndrangheta is currently considered the most powerful Italian mafia organisation. In addition to it, the Camorra operates in Naples, the Cosa Nostra in Sicily, and the smaller Sacra Corona Unita in Apulia. The Kronen Zeitung reported on the details of the arrest.
Source: Google News AT — Crime (de)