Dec 22 2006
LONDON ‘MAFIA DON’ FACES EXTRADITION TO ITALY
An alleged mafia godfather will spend Christmas in Belmarsh high security prison while a court decides whether to extradite him to Italy.
Raffaele Caldarelli, 35, the suspected boss of the notoriously bloodthirsty Neapolitan mafia clan, the Camorra, has been on the run for more than a decade after he was convicted of gun running and drugs offences.
He was arrested in Hackney, East London, in September at the shoeshop he operated during a raid by armed police after spending 11 years on the run.
An extradition hearing at City of Westminster Magistrates Court heard how Caldarelli was the ‘promoter and organiser’ of ‘a mafia-type organisation’ which engaged in ‘extortion, drug trafficking and weapon trafficking’.
Caldarelli, who was jailed for 20 years in his absence by an Italian court in 1995, is also accused of having kalashnikovs and six bazookas in a public place.
It is also alleged that he was behind a plot to smuggle cocaine into an Italian jail while he was an inmate.
But today District Judge Timothy Workman, sitting at Westminster Magistrates Court, adjourned the hearing until to allowed the Italian authorites time to sort out confusion over the warrants issued for Caldarelli’s arrest.
It is unclear whether Caldarellie is wanted in Italy for offences he has already been convicted of or whether he is scheduled to face trial for new offences.
Mr Workman said that according to the paperwork Caldarelli was convicted of being a Camorra boss in his absence in 2004.
He said a Judge Foschini in Naples “confirmed on December 2 2004 that the defendant was convicted in respect of these offences and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment.
“On October 11 2006 the conviction was affirmed with sentence reduced to eight years.”
He continued: “In respect of the warrant issued by Judge Saraceno alleging the supply of narcotics on June 7 2005 the defendant was tried a convicted in respect of this offence in his absence.
“It seems that although sentence is not immediately enforceable as it is subject to appeal.
“The evidence I have received is so inconsistent I think the proper course is for me to ask that inquires be made of the issuing judicial authorities and to seek their confirmation that, being an accusation case, the defendant will in due course be the subject of a full trial which all evidence will be considered or whether, if in fact this is a conviction case, the defendant will be entitled to a retrial or to a review amounting to a retrial.
“Once that clarification has been obtained it is my hope that the decision will be clear.”
The hearing was adjourned until January 18.
At an earlier hearing, Seth Levine, representing the Italian authorities described the allegations against Caldarelli.
“The allegation is that he, together with others not identified, acted as promoter and organiser, partook in a criminal association of the Camorra type.”
Mr Levine added the clan’s aim was to commit criminal offences by enforcing a ‘conspiracy of silence’. He went on: “It is an association characterised by strong internal ties and has a large quantity of weapons available, which are used frequently to commit crimes against life and person.”
He said the Camorra used ‘intimidation’ to “gain control over illegal activity such as extortion, drugs trafficking, weapons trafficking.”
Mr Levine referred to ‘a dramatic armed conflict’ in an urban area between Caldarelli’s clan and another Camorra group.
The prosecutor went on: “He illegally possessed and carried firearms, including guns, kalashnikovs, and six disposable bazookas in a public place.”
The second warrant refers to a plot to buy and smuggle cocaine into a jail in Naples, which was foiled by Italian police.
Mr Levine said that the 2001 plan was for the mother of another inmate to smuggle the drugs to her son.
Mr Levine said: “Raffaele Caldarelli organised this operation from within prison and the Italian authorities are aware of the conduct and Caldarelli’s role in it, through the interception of telephone evidence, which is perfectly admissible in an Italian court.”
If the alleged offences were committed in England, they would equate to conspiracy to commit criminal offences, possession of unlawful weapons, and conspiracy to supply class A drugs, the court heard.
Lawyers for the Italian will argue that the charges against him have been ‘exaggerated’ by the authorities, who suggest that Caldarelli has been continuing his illegal activities from London.
They will also argue against extradition on the grounds that married Caldarelli has a two-year-old son living in England
| Friday, 22nd December 2006, 07:28 National News http://www.lse.co.uk/ShowStory.asp?story=OM2232406G&news_headline=london_mafia_don_faces_extradition_to_italy
