57‑year‑old Catania fugitive arrested in Ortona after 11‑year search

A 57‑year‑old man from the province of Catania, wanted since 2015, was arrested on 11 July 2026 in Ortona, Abruzzo. He was subject to a European arrest warrant issued by the Bologna prosecutor and faced a remaining 19‑year prison term for aggravated robbery, kidnapping, illegal weapons possession and large‑scale drug trafficking committed between 1990 and 2010.

The arrest was carried out by Carabinieri from the Milan, Teramo and Chieti investigative units, aided by international cooperation with German and Spanish authorities and the Grupo Localización Fugitivos of the Barcelona National Police. The fugitive had used forged documents of a deceased Italian citizen while living under a false identity in Spain. The operation concluded without incident, and the detainee will also be prosecuted for possession of the falsified documents.

The case highlights the effectiveness of cross‑border police collaboration and the enforcement of European arrest warrants in bringing long‑running fugitives back to justice.