Spanish police arrest two Camorra crime mob fugitives wanted by Italy

Spanish National Police have arrested two fugitives linked to the Neapolitan Camorra criminal organisation one in Tenerife and another in Almería, both wanted by Italy under European arrest warrants.

The suspects face combined prison sentences of up to 60 years.

The investigation began in late October following a cooperation request through the National Police's information exchange agreements with FAST Italy and the Sirene bureau.

Italy issued a European arrest warrant for one suspect on charges of blackmail, extortion, kidnapping, illegal detention and hostage-taking, carrying a potential 30-year sentence.

The arrested man is considered a high-value target as one of the leaders of Cancello-Raia-Cifariello, a criminal group within the Neapolitan Camorra.

He was arrested last Wednesday in the Rocas de Mar tourist complex in Tenerife, from where he allegedly continued directing the criminal organisation.

Authorities located him less than 24 hours after the arrest warrant was issued.

The second fugitive was wanted for membership in a criminal organisation and homicide after participating in a 2024 shooting in the Italian town of Striano. In that attack, a man was shot 12 times in a public street.

Following an alert via the ENFAST network, investigators located and arrested the second suspect at a holiday rental flat in Roquetas de Mar in Almería.

Both detainees have been placed at the disposal of the Audiencia Nacional, which will handle their extradition to Italian judicial authorities, according to Spanish outlets.

The arrests come amid a growing Camorra presence in the Canary Islands. In September 2021, Spanish police dismantled a major money-laundering operation in southern Tenerife with 106 arrests, involving members from different Italian mafia clans including the Camorra Napolitana.