Meloni hails arrest of top crime family suspect after raid at an Italian resort

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Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni addresses the Senate regarding the conflict in Iran and the Gulf region, in Rome, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

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1:23 PM on Saturday, April 4

The Associated Press

ROME, Italy (AP) — Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni congratulated the police late Saturday for the arrest of an alleged crime boss and one of Italy's most wanted fugitives.

Authorities announced the arrest of Roberto Mazzarella, 48, following a raid Friday on a villa on the Amalfi Coast in southern Italy after allegedly using false documents to rent the luxury coastal property.

Meloni, who is on a tour of Gulf states, described Mazzarella’s arrest as an “an important blow against the Camorra,” referring to the notorious criminal organization that originated in Naples.

“This sends a clear message that the state will not back down” Meloni said in an online post.

Mazzarella is wanted in connection with a 2000 fatal shooting at a delicatessen in central Naples.