Italian prison caught after 11 years on the run because of a photograph celebrating Napoli’s Serie A win

On Friday, August 5, a longtime fugitive in Italy was arrested after his love for his favorite soccer staff uncovered his hiding place. Vincenzo La Porta, who’s on the checklist of Italy’s 100 most harmful fugitives, was arrested by the police whereas he was driving a bike on the Greek Island of Corfu. 

According to the Naples-based Carabinieri paramilitary police, fugitive Vincenzo La Porta was recognized in a photograph of individuals celebrating after the Napoli soccer staff gained Italian Serie A final season in a restaurant in Corfu. In the stated image, La Porta was waving a shawl with the sky-blue colors of his hometown staff on it.

🔵”Galeotto” fu lo scudetto del #Napoli. Arrestato a #Corfù Vincenzo La Porta, latitante da 11 anni, tra i più pericolosi della lista del ministero dell’Interno e affiliato del clan Contini. I carabinieri lo hanno riconosciuto in una foto mentre festeggiava. Deve scontare 14 anni pic.twitter.com/8h7rv4iZu7

— Rai Radio1 (@Radio1Rai) August 5, 2023

Police subsequently went to Corfu to apprehend the 60-year-old fugitive, who had been on the run for 11 years. The officers intercepted him whereas he was driving his moped down a Corfu road. He was arrested on Friday, in line with Greek police.

“What betrayed him was his passion for football and for Napoli. With the championship victory, La Porta couldn’t resist celebrating,” the Greek police stated.

La Porta, who’s linked to the Naples-based Camorra group, was convicted in absentia of prison affiliation, tax evasion, and fraud. La Porta had been working as an assistant chef at one other restaurant on the island for a couple of month, in line with the proprietor.

According to police in Corfu, he appeared earlier than a prosecutor on Saturday and was ordered to be stored in jail till an appeals courtroom panel selected the extradition request. If Italy’s extradition bid is allowed, La Porta will serve a 14-year-and-four-month jail time period.

“He has started a new family in Greece. He has a nine-year-old son and works as a cook to make ends meet. He suffers from heart conditions. He and his family will be destroyed if he is extradited,” La Porta’s lawyer stated.

Meanwhile, police stated they have been persistent of their pursuit of La Porta, carefully monitoring his monetary and on-line actions and “waiting for him to make a mistake.”