Man linked to the Mafia arrested

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A man wanted in Italy for offences connected to the Mafia has been arrested in London after being on the run for more than 10 years.

Raffaele Caldarelli, 35, was sentenced to 20 years in jail in his absence in 1995 for crimes such as extortion.

He was picked up by armed police in Hackney, east London, on Tuesday afternoon after months of undercover police work and advanced surveillance.

Scotland Yard confirmed Caldarelli was wanted for "Mafia-type association".

He was arrested close to a shoe shop he runs by officers from the Scotland Yard Extradition Unit and Serious Organised Crime Unit.

They had received a request for his capture from Italian authorities via Interpol.

Very dangerous man

Police in his home town of Naples described Caldarelli as a very dangerous man.

Saverio Angulli, a police spokesman, said: "He is the Godfather of his own clan in Naples and is wanted for various crimes including Mafia association, drug-running, arms smuggling and extortion.

"We also suspect him of being involved in several homicides but he has never been convicted."

Caldarelli had previously managed to avoid capture in London once before.

He is the second mobster on the run to be arrested in London during the past 18 months.

Last May, one of Italy's most wanted men, Francesco Tonicello was arrested at Vauxhall Tube station, where he worked as a news seller.

Caldarelli was remanded in custody after appearing at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

He will appear at the same court via a video link from Wandsworth Prison on 13 September.

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said one officer who was injured in the arrest was "now back on full operational duty".