Camorra drug broker arrested in Barcelona after five year investigation

Convicted 50 year-old mafia drug broker Francesco Lapis, one of Italy's most dangerous fugitives, was detained by the Spanish National Police following a joint operation with the Italian authorities

By: maltatoday.com

Jul 27 2024
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Camorra drug broker arrested

Convicted Camorra fugitive Francesco Lapis has been arrested in Barcelona, according to an announcement by the Spanish National Police.

Lapis, who the Spanish police said is a known member of the Roman Camorra criminal organisation, had featured on Italy’s list of most dangerous fugitives.

The 50 year-old went on the run in 2019 after being convicted in Rome and sentenced to imprisonment for brokering large-scale trafficking operations that transported cocaine and marijuana between Spain and Italy.

The Italian police had enlisted the assistance of their Spanish counterparts in tracing Lapis, after he went into hiding in Barcelona, Spain, from where he continued his business activities, often travelling to Turkey, Bulgaria and other countries.

His whereabouts were reportedly betrayed by social media posts and stories published on Instagram and TikTok by people close to him. This information allowed the Italian authorities to zero in on the movements of two of his associates, before sharing the information they acquired with their Spanish colleagues from the UDYCO Fugitive Localization Group of the National Police.

A surveillance operation was set up, and when Lapis’ associates caught a flight from France to Barcelona, police officers started tailing them shortly after their plane landed at an airport in Barcelona.

Lapis' associates swapped taxis after leaving the airport in what police said was an effort to evade surveillance.

They did not succeed, however and the police continued to track them to the outskirts of Barcelona, where they were met by Lapis himself on a public road. At that moment, police officers moved in and arrested him on the strength of a European Arrest Warrant issued by Italy. He remains in custody awaiting extradition to Italy.