Top Italian mob boss nabbed in hometown bunker

Published : Dec 8, 2011 - 10:24 Updated : Dec 8, 2011 - 10:24

ROME (AP) -- Police on Wednesday captured one of Italy's most-wanted fugitive mobsters, arresting the last major boss of one of Italy's bloodiest mafia clans.

Michele Zagaria, on the run since 1995, was found in an underground bunker in Casapesenna, in his hometown province of Caserta in southern Italy, the headquarters of the Casalesi clan of the Neapolitan Camorra.

Anti-mafia prosecutor Piero Grasso said it was likely Zagaria had spent his years as a fugitive nearby since mob bosses ``can only exercise their power if they're in an environment that protects them.''

``This was the nightmare: We knew he was there, but it was tough to find him, tough to get him out,'' he told Sky TG24. ``Finally we did.''

Police had located the bunker some time ago and were digging around it. Zagaria was watching their progress on closed-circuit TVs and gave up without a fight after police cut off the electricity that was pumping fresh air into the bunker, news reports said.

``The government won,'' he told police, the ANSA news agency reported. ``It's over.''

Investigators contend the Casalesi family runs a lucrative illegal business in transporting and disposing of toxic waste, a murky world explored in the book and film ``Gomorrah.'' Other moneymakers for the crime clan are rackets, extortion, drug trafficking, smuggling of illegal migrants and arms.

Police have seized about (euro) 2 billion ($2.7 billion) worth of assets allegedly illegally gained by its members over the last few years.

Last year, another top Casalesi lieutenant, Antonio Iovine, nicknamed ``'o ninno''' (dialect for ``the baby'') for his youthful looks, was arrested in a major strike against the Casalesi. His arrest left Zagaria as the last big fugitive lieutenant of the charismatic convicted Camorra boss Francesco Schiavone.

Nicknamed Sandokan after the hero of a series of pirate adventure books in Italy, Schiavone is believed to still control the Casalesi clan from behind bars.

Zagaria is wanted for murder, extortion, kidnapping, mafia association and other crimes.

In one of their bloodiest strikes, Casalesi gunmen gunned down six African immigrants in one swoop as they chatted on a town street in what police said was a warning to other Africans to stay away from drug trafficking in the area.

<한글기사>

전설의 마피아 두목, 비밀벙커 은신중 체포

이탈리아의 악명높은 카모라 마피아 조직의 두목 미켈레 자가리아(53)가 도피생활 16년 만에 나폴리 인근 비밀벙커에 숨어있던 중 경찰에 체포됐다고 이탈리아 뉴스통신 안사(ANSA)가 7일 보도했다.

자가리아는 베스트셀러 소설 `고모라'와 동명의 영화를 통해 알려진 카모라 마 피아 조직의 일파 카살레시 조직을 이끌어온 인물로 지난 2008년 궐석재판에서 이미 살인과 가혹행위, 마약 밀매 등의 혐의로 종신형을 선고받았다.

좌우 균형이 맞지 않는 얼굴 때문에 `뒤틀린 얼굴(Twisted Face)'이라는 별명으 로 더 잘 알려진 자가리아는 나폴리에서 북쪽으로 약 30 ㎞ 떨어진 카사페세나 마을 의 한 주택 지하에 콘크리트로 만든 벙커에 숨어있다가 체포됐다.

체포될 당시 자가리아는 경찰들에게 "정부가 이겼다"며 순순히 수갑에 손을 내 밀었고, 마피아 소탕전을 이끄는 카텔로 마레스카 검사는 그에게 "다 끝났다"고 말 했다고 안사 통신은 전했다.

자가리아는 이탈리아에서 가장 위험한 수배자 11명 중 한 명이었으며, 그가 이 끄는 카살레시 조직은 2006년 출간된 로베르토 사비아노의 소설 '고모라'에 소개됐 다.

작가인 사비아노는 마피아 조직의 살해 위협때문에 24시간 경찰의 보호를 받고 있다.

안나 마리아 칸셀리에리 내무장관은 자가리아의 체포 보고를 듣고 "정부가 거둔 큰 성과"이라며 "카살레시 조직뿐만 아니라 카모라 마피아 전체에 큰 타격이 될 것"이라고 평가했다.