One of the most wanted by Europol Italian mafiosi was found in Syria

Bruno Carbone, one of the most wanted Italian mafiosi on the run by Europol, was arrested at Rome's Ciampino airport, reports The Guardian. At home, he is waiting for a 20-year prison term, appointed by Sicilian prosecutors for crimes related to international drug trafficking.

45-year-old Carbone was considered the right hand of Raffaele Imperiale, the boss of the Neapolitan Camorra mafia. Imperiale, who was arrested in Dubai in August 2021, was also known for his passion for art – two Van Gogh paintings stolen in Amsterdam were found in his hideout near Pompeii. As for Carbone, according to Europol, he controlled the purchases of large quantities of cocaine, mainly from Spain. The Camorra also imported drugs from the Netherlands and Colombia and planned to take over the Australian market.

Carbone has been on the run since 2003. Information about where he was extradited to Rome from is contradictory. The Italian press reported that he was captured in Dubai, where he spent most of his time as a fugitive. At the same time, Syrian officials report that Carbone was discovered in March in Syria as he moved through towards the region under the control of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. According to them, Carbone lived for some time in Europe and Turkey, and then moved to areas of Syria controlled by the Assad regime, because he considered himself an outlaw there. He posed as a Mexican who was on the run for selling counterfeit Rolex watches.

In December 2020, the UAE announced that it had arrested Carbone. However, later it turned out that they had taken the wrong person: the arrested man turned out to be a Neapolitan businessman, Domenico Alfano. Alfano, who arrived in Dubai with his wife and children, spent more than a month in jail before being released.