DGSN says the suspect is accused of murder and connected to one of Italy’s largest mafia crime organizations.
Rabat – Moroccan police arrested an Italian national suspected of being a leader in the Italian criminal network Camorra on Monday, March 18. Camorra is one of Italy’s oldest and largest criminal syndicates with an active international presence.
Police apprehended the 44-year-old in the Ourika region, 30 kilometers from Marrakech. They acted in response to a red notice issued on January 7 by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) at the request of Italian authorities.
Interpol issued the red notice due to the suspect’s alleged involvement in premeditated murder and the possession of unauthorized firearms, said the national police (DGSN) in a statement.
According to the DGSN, the suspect was remanded in custody in preparation for extradition. Morocco has already notified Italy of the arrest.
The arrest is part of increased bilateral security cooperation between Morocco and Italy. It also serves as an example of the reinforcement of search mechanisms for individuals wanted by international arrest warrants.
In October 2018, the Moroccan minister of justice, Mohamed Aujjar, and the president of the Italian Council of State, Filippo Patroni Griffi, spoke at a conference in Rome about the importance of Morocco and Italy exchanging expertise and information. One of the stated goals of such an exchange was the enforcement of court judgements and arrest warrants made in both countries.
Police have previously linked Camorra members to trafficking drugs from Morocco and Spain in addition to money laundering, extortion, and murder.
