Operation assisted by Eurojust leads to arrest of fugitive Italian criminal in Slovenia

(IN BRIEF) Italian and Slovenian authorities, supported by Eurojust, have successfully arrested a fugitive Italian crime boss in Koper, Slovenia. The 40-year-old, who avoided a 21-year prison sentence for several serious crimes including drug trafficking, extortion and kidnapping, was captured following a coordinated investigation. The operation, which involved phone tapping and surveillance, led to his arrest just 10 days after Eurojust executed a European Investigation Order. The fugitive was the leader of an organised crime group from Calabria and had been on the run since February 2024.

(PRESS RELEASE) THE HAGUE, 22-08-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — In a swift and coordinated operation, authorities from Italy and Slovenia, with the support of Eurojust, have successfully arrested a known fugitive in Koper, Slovenia. The fugitive, a 40-year-old leader of a notorious Italian organised crime group (OCG) of Calabrian origin, had avoided a 21-year prison sentence for multiple serious crimes, including drug trafficking, extortion and kidnapping.

The fugitive had been on the run since February 2024, fleeing just before his conviction became final. Italian authorities quickly issued a national and European arrest warrant, triggering an intensive investigation that lasted several months. The breakthrough came after the fugitive was traced to Slovenia using sophisticated wiretapping and surveillance techniques.

Eurojust, the European Union agency for criminal justice cooperation, played a crucial role in the operation by executing a European Investigation Order (EIO). This legal instrument facilitated surveillance activities in Slovenia, including phone tracing and physical monitoring, which led to the precise identification of the fugitive’s location.

Within just 10 days of the EIO’s execution, the joint efforts of Slovenian and Italian authorities resulted in the arrest of the fugitive on August 20 in Koper.

The arrested individual led a criminal organization responsible for cocaine trafficking throughout Italy and was also involved in numerous other criminal activities, such as theft, fraud, embezzlement and illegal possession of weapons. He was also convicted of mafia-related crimes in a separate trial.

Key agencies involved in the operation included the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Perugia Court of Appeal, the Carabinieri Special Operational Division (ROS), the Ancona Crime Squad, the Fermo Investigation Division and the SIRENE Office of the Italian Ministry of the Interior, along with the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Koper and the Police Directorate in Koper, Slovenia.