Thursday, February 16, 2017

Oz Mafia kingpin Rocco Arico guilty of extortion, faces deportation

One of Australia's most powerful organized crime figures is facing a lengthy jail stint and deportation back to Italy after being convicted of extortion, drug and weapons offences. Rocco Arico, 38, has been identified by law enforcement as a major player in Melbourne's underworld as a drug trafficker with family links to the 'Ndrangheta – or Honoured Society – one of the country's most influential mafia groups.

The Australian Taxation Office is also attempting to seize $10 million worth of assets linked to Arico as the suspected proceeds of crime.

Druglord Carl Williams was murdered by fellow prisoner Matthew Johnson.
Arico has previous convictions for kidnapping in 1999 and attempted murder in 2000, spending more than seven years in prison. He is also suspected of involvement in orchestrating the prison murder of drug kingpin-turned-witness Carl Williams in 2010.

The federal government plans to deport Arico after he serves any prison sentence for these latest convictions.
Carl Anthony Williams was an Australian convicted murderer and drug trafficker from the state of Victoria. He was the central figure in the Melbourne gangland killings. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 35 years for ordering the murders of three people and conspiracy to murder a fourth.

On 19 April 2010, while incarcerated at Barwon Prison, Williams was beaten to death with the stem of an exercise bike by Matthew Charles Johnson