German police have arrested a suspect in a Mafia murder that took place in Italy 23 years ago, they announced on Wednesday.
According to a statement from police in Baden-Württemberg, south-west Germany, the Italian had been living and working in the town of Bad Urach for around four years.
A European arrest warrant was issued for him on 23 August and he was held on 30 August.
Italian authorities believe he is a member of the ‘Ndrangheta, the Calabrian mafia.
In 2000, the suspect and other members of the ‘Ndrangheta allegedly ambushed a member of a rival ‘Ndrangheta clan in a small town in Calabria. The victim was shot in the head in an apparent act of revenge for an earlier homicide.
The 59-year-old man is in custody and is expected to be handed over to Italian justice authorities. He is to be tried in Italy for premeditated murder and membership of a Mafia-type criminal organisation.
Around a quarter of Italian organised crime members in Germany live in the state of Baden-Württemberg. In June, the state’s interior ministry said they numbered 170.
The list of crimes they are accused of includes fraud, illegal drug trafficking, weapons offences, money laundering and tax evasion.
