Giovanni Arena

{{Short description|Member of the Sicilian Mafia}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Giovanni Arena

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| birth_date = August 9, 1956

| birth_place = Catania

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| known_for = Italian criminal belonging to Cosa Nostra

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{{For|the Italian politician|Giovanni Arena (politician)}}

Giovanni Arena ({{IPA|it|dʒoˈvanni aˈreːna, - aˈrɛːna}}; born August 9, 1956, in Catania) is an Italian criminal belonging to Cosa Nostra. He was on the "list of most wanted fugitives in Italy" of the ministry of the Interior since 1993, wanted for murder, membership to the Mafia and other crimes, until his arrest on October 26, 2011.{{in lang|it}} [http://palermo.repubblica.it/cronaca/2011/10/26/news/catania_preso_il_boss_arena_era_latitante_da_diciotto_anni-23876969/?ref=HREC1-12 Catania, preso il boss Arena], La Repubblica, October 26, 2011 In 2005, an international alert had been issued for his arrest and extradition.{{in lang|it}} [http://www.interno.it/mininterno/export/sites/default/it/sezioni/sala_stampa/notizie/polizia/Latitante_Arena_Giovanni.html Direzione centrale della Polizia Criminale - Programma Speciale di Ricerca - Arena Giovanni]

He was sentenced to life imprisonment in May 2003 for the murder of Maurizio Romeo of the rival Ferrera clan in October 1989. During 1990 he emigrated to Germany and married B. Arena. He lived until December 1992 in Germany Bremen with his German wife until he was arrested by the German Bremen Police Department for illegal activities. He is a fugitive since December 1993 when he managed to escape from Operation Orsa Maggiore, a major police action against the Mafia in Catania.{{in lang|it}} [http://siciliatoday.net/quotidiano/news/Cosa_nostra_Giovanni_Arena_fra_i_30_latitanti_piu_pericolosi_10898.shtml Cosa nostra, Giovanni Arena fra i 30 latitanti piu' pericolosi], Sicily Today, January 6, 2009

Arena was one of the top figures of the clan of Nitto Santapaola, but is now considered to be allied with the Sciuto-Tigna crime group of the Cappello clan, historic rivals of Cosa Nostra. His son Antonino Arena is a fugitive as well since 2009, wanted for cannabis trafficking. His group supplied 50 kg cannabis a month to dealers in neighbourhoods of Catania around the Palazzo di cemento in the Librino quarter.{{in lang|it}} [https://www.ansa.it/legalita/notizie/regioni/sicilia/2010/05/17/visualizza_new.html_1793829722.html Mafia: sequestro beni a figlio boss, entrambi sono latitanti] ANSA, May 17, 2010{{in lang|it}} [http://www.livesicilia.it/2009/03/14/colpo-alla-cosca-sciuto-tigna-in-manette-quindici-persone/ Colpo alla cosca Sciuto-Tigna]. Live Sicily, March 14, 2009

His other sons are also involved in illicit business. Agatino Arena was arrested in February 2009, and his younger brother Maurizio Arena was arrested on December 4, 2009, for drug trafficking.{{in lang|it}} [http://www.siciliaonline.it/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=123061&Itemid=2 Droga: Catania, arrestato altro figlio del boss latitante Arena]{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Sicilia online, December 4, 2009 Giovanni Arena was arrested on October 26, 2011, in Catania.