Sicilian man arrested in Malta, to be sent back to Italy for trial over organised crime

39-year-old Sicilian Maximiliano Genova will be sent back to Italy to face charges over his alleged connections with an organised drug trafficking organisation in Sicily.

Police said Genova was arrested in an international police operation after a European Arrest Warrant was issued for the Sicilian, who Italian media identified as the head of a criminal organisation based in Syracuse. He had been on the run from the Italian authorities for months. 

Lawyer Martin Fenech was appointed legal aid lawyer to assist Genova.

Duty Magistrate Neville Camilleri heard police inspector Mark Galea and lawyer Meredith Ebejer from the Attorney General’s Office explain that the man’s identity had been forensically confirmed and that he had released a statement, choosing not to answer most of the questions.

He confirmed his identity in court this afternoon. Asked whether he was in fact the person whose extradition was requested, he said “I think so, yes.” (“Penso di si”).

Magistrate Camilleri said he was satisfied that the person before it was the requested person under the EAW. He then asked whether the man wanted to be returned to Italy to face trial, he said “Yes. I want to return to Italy.”

The court then suspended the sitting for five minutes. The accused, dressed in a red windbreaker and jeans appeared tired as he sat in the dock, at one point yawning and stretching after the magistrate retired to chambers.

When the magistrate returned, Genova was asked to confirm his decision. He asked to speak to his lawyer again.
After a brief consultation, Genova reiterated his consent to his being returned to Italy.

Fenech told the court that it was “not fair that the media make a fuss about a person in a case which is still sub judice.” Fenech said he had been contacted by several media outlets last night.

Investigations by the police’s Central Intelligence and Analysis Unit had identified Genova who was found hiding in Malta. At around 2:00 am on Tuesday, police surrounded a St Paul’s Bay apartment where Genova was residing in, before carrying out the arrest.  

The operation was carried out in collaboration with Italian police, who also arrested 31 people in Syracuse, Sicily. The drug trafficking ring was making profits of €25,000 daily, according to Italian carabinieri.

READ MORE: Sicilian leader of drug trafficking ring arrested in St Paul’s Bay