'Paper bomb gang' member arrested in Sicily upon return from Malta

A 29-year-old man from Syracuse, who spent months on the run hiding in Malta, was arrested by Italian police when he returned to Sicily on Saturday.

Michael Castrogiovanni, the fourth member of five-men gang, was arrested after he was identified during an investigation by Italian police over the bombing of a number of bars in Syracuse.

The group, nicknamed the ‘Syracuse paper bomb gang’, planted and detonated three bombs in front of various commercial establishment in the Syracuse capital between September 2021 and March 2022.

Investigators believe the paper bombs were used to intimidate individuals over debt related to drugs and, with Italian news portal Meridio News reporting the bombings were a “show of strength.”

Italian news outlet Blog Sicilia reported the investigations into the bombings identified Jonathan Destasio as the person who ordered the bombs, and Gianluca De Simone as the hitman. The rest of the group includes Kevin Perez, Castrogiovanni and Damiano Lo Giudice.

Wiretapping of the accused’s mobile phones is believed to led investigators to the suspects.

Michael Castrogiovanni is currently being held in house arrest.