Mafia drug trafficker's Lancashire link
A member of an Italian Mafia clan, who lived a double life in Lancashire, has been convicted of drug trafficking after his arrest in Portugal, the Evening Post can reveal.
Giuseppe Persico, 34, who lived and worked in Chorley for more than two years, was arrested in a swoop by Portuguese police after landing at Faro Airport.
Persico, said by police to be a member of the fearsome Naples mafia known as Camorra, was wanted by the Italian authorities for drug trafficking in his home country.
Lancashire Police confirmed he was convicted of the offences after his arrest on October 17.
Officers also revealed Persico is a known associate of Gennaro Panzuto - the Mafia "godfather" who was arrested for four murders at his home in Catterall, Garstang in 2007.
A stunned friend of Persico's, who did not wish to be named, said: "He lived and worked in Chorley for the last two years. He was mates with the man arrested in Catterall."
Persico is believed to have come to this country to live with an English girlfriend. When the relationship broke down he found a job as a removal man, working for removals firm Andrew Porter Ltd, which has a base in Adlington. He lived in a rented house on Geoffrey Street, Chorley.
Unbeknown to his friends until his arrest, Persico was an associate of Gennaro Panzuto, who was convicted of four murders connected to a mob war after extradition to Italy.
Panzuto was the head of the powerful Pincirillo clan, part of the Camorra Mafia – a criminal organisation, or secret society, originating in Naples, Italy.
It is said to finance itself through drug trafficking, extortion, protection and racketeering.
During Panzuto's time as leader, his clan became embroiled in a battle with another clan – the Missos – which resulted in the deaths of 20 people.
Panzuto, then 32, was arrested on suspicion of four killings by Serious Organised Crime Agency officers at his 200,000 rented semi-detached house in Cock Robin Lane, Catterall, near Garstang in May 2007.
He also faced charges of possession of weapons in Italy.
A Lancashire Police spokesman said: "Persico's arrest was as a
result of a joint operation involving Lancashire Constabulary and Interpol.
"An investigation is continuing into other criminal activity of known associates of Persico."
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Thursday 29 July 2010
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