A man wanted in Italy on suspicion of four murders connected to the Naples mafia has been arrested in the UK.

Police traced Gennaro Panzuto, 32, to a flat in Preston, Lancashire, after a search which lasted more than a year.

Armed officers detained him following months of undercover work by the Italian police and the UK’s Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca).

Calls made by his family from public telephone boxes in Naples led detectives to the UK address.

‘Significant arrest’

Vittorio Pisano, chief of the Naples Flying Squad, said Mr Panzuto was wanted in Italy as “a very senior member” of the Naples mafia, the Camorra, and said his arrest was of “great significance”.

He said Mr Panzuto was suspected of involvement in a deadly battle in Naples between his clan, the Pincirillos, and rivals, the Missos.

The battle has resulted in the deaths of 20 people in three months. Mr Panzuto is suspected of involvement in four of those murders.

Mr Pisano said: “He was the head of the Pincirillo clan which he took over from his uncles of the same name when they were arrested two years ago.”

He said that Preston seemed to be a “rather unusual place to hide out” as most people “preferred the South of France or Spain”.

“When I heard that he had been located to Preston I had to look it up in an atlas as I had never heard of the place,” he added.

It is understood Mr Panzuto is being held by police in Preston, waiting to appear before magistrates for an extradition hearing.

Police in Italy said Mr Panzuto was also suspected of using mafia funds to establish shoe and clothing shops in Manchester and London, which it is alleged he was using to launder money.

Soca said it could not comment on operational issues.

A spokesman for Lancashire Constabulary said Mr Panzuto was taken to Lancaster police station after his arrest on Wednesday in connection with an extradition warrant.

The force was not involved in the operation and Mr Panzuto was later transferred to London.

Mafia links

Another alleged mafia boss from Naples was arrested in east London last year.

Raffaele Caldarelli, 35, was detained by armed police in Hackney, where he was running a shoe shop.

He was sentenced to 20 years in jail in his absence in 1995 for crimes such as extortion.

Police in his home town of Naples described Mr Caldarelli as a very dangerous man and said they suspected him of being involved in several murders.

Mr Caldarelli is currently in custody and is awaiting extradition to Italy.
Regards Chopper

I read recentley,Im glad i don't live near him..

I have to agree! although being from sheffield, yorksire borders lancashire so im not that far away.
Regards Chopper

Hey Chopper, thanks for sharing this with us. Good story!

Hey No problem . i found it interesting myself as i am from the uk its not to often we get mafia related incidents.
Regards Chopper

http://www.people.co.uk/news/tm_headline...-name_page.html

this doesnt suprise me at all this is the state of england my uncle has never been in trouble with the law he hurt his back at work and could no longer work so he claimed dissability allowence he was one day seen walking to the ship with the help of my cousin and a walking frame he was snitched by somebody and the police came to arrest him saying he wasnt as ill as he made out he had to pay alot of money back and no has a criminal record.And this womens husband is a reputed mafia boss and she still gets money

The Camorra is in UK, and I think they have a base in Nottingham. I'm not sure and I will look all this up.

There are Italians in Nottingham, that much I have from looking on the Net.
I have seen an Italian wine bar/restaurant in Nottingham, called Amici. It means "Friends", like Amici Nostra - "Friend of Mine".
This place could be a Mafia front for money laundering. Or it could be just a normal business, I havn't heard anything else about this place since it got smashed up in a football fracas.

There are chinese restaurants in Town as well, does that mean its ran by the chinese mafia..

I dout theres any Italian mafia in Nottingham..

I have found no proof, but that doesn't mean they aren't here.

There's a Chinese takeaway not far from where I live, the delievery guy there owns a BMW - on his wages?!!

Maybe he works two or three jobs

If I can prove that the Italian and Chinese Mafias have a slice in Nottingham, would you all believe me?

I know the Triads are hers, as they extort Chinese businessman.

I could post info on what I have at hand if people are interested.

knock yourself out, although, most people won't listen

Most won'r listen for two reasons:

They are a "face" and don't wanna be proven wrong,

or,

They call themselves "mob experts" and think their info and opinion are the only one that counts.

You should provide us with facts, then we might believe you..

I provide the facts, then you will whip out "the debate". I can put down concrete proof and still get called a liar. The only real proof I can ever really get is to show you these people in the flesh. And that will frighten all of us.

This is not proof, if you can provide proof, ill be interested to know about this..

I have no definate proof, just what I have seen and read about. To prove this Triad thing to you, I would have to bring the whole Triad crew in Nottingham to you.

....right.....

I would have to bring them, I can't do that because they would do me. I don't know any Triads.

Oh..ok then...

That could be entertaining for us.

I got more chance of getting in with Mad Frankie Fraser and Freddie Foreman.

indeed

These guys abided by the rules and they are old timers.

The Vietnamese are in Nottingham. A raid in Rise Park, near Bestwood, and a factory, with 3 floors of operation in the cultivation of Cannabis was raided after reports of a burglary. The factory had 1300 plants and was worth £1million. THis factory was in St Anns, the home of the St Anns Crew who also are the enemies of the Yardies from the Meadows.

I saw this in the evening post.

There has been a massive increase in drugs raids in Nottingham.
A few years ago I remember people asking for some "green" because they couldn't get none - bad crops. Now its worse, a big shortage this year due to all these police raids.
But no one is asking, you know why? - an increase in people growing. Every f****rs at it!!!

The "grass" has been harder in nottm to get hold of just recentley, the good stuff anyway..

Only users loose drugs.