More information has come to light about the arrest of Sicilian mafia don Vito Roberto Palazzolo, who was taken into custody in Thailand after police were informed he would be flying from Suvarnabhumi Airport on March 30.
South Africa’s IOL News reported he had flown into Thailand from Hong Kong to spend time with his family before flying back to South Africa where he lived for year. It was as he was preparing to board the plane to South Africa when the Thai police struck.
Palazolo, originally from Italy, holds a South African passport and Western Cape High Court is urging the South African government to confirm that he is a South African citizen, which would give him full diplomatic protection. This last ditch attempt to save him from extradition may have come too late as a Thai court approved his extradition to Italy late Sunday night.
Vito is facing extradition to Italy over links he has with the Cosa Nostra Mafia, where he faces a prison term of nine years.
The exciting turn of events that led to the capture of a man who is alleged to have ties to one of the largest crime syndicates in the world were revealed by police captain Raluek Intharatsami. According to IOL the Thai police were notified that Palazzolo had entered The Kingdom and prepared to capture him.
“Later on, the police officer, having detected that Mr Palazzolo would enter via Suvarnabhumi Airport on March 30, 2012, stood waiting to meet him…On that day, I took Mr Palazzolo into custody,” Intharatsami said.
Gripping!
Vito is currently waiting to hear the outcome of his deportation order and will spend the rest of his time in Thailand sleeping on the floor of a Thai cell with 13 other people.
