Police arrest one of Italy's most-wanted mafia men

Italian police arrested one of Italy's most wanted mafia bosses today, a day after detaining his brother, dealing a heavy blow to one of the most powerful criminal clans in the region around Naples.

Pasquale Russo, 62 and considered one of Italy's top 10 mafia fugitives, had been on the run since 1993 and was arrested at dawn on Sunday in a remote farmhouse near Sperone, some 80 km north of Naples.

In a statement, police said he was the chief of the Russo clan and described him as "extremely dangerous".

He was convicted in absentia and sentenced to life in prison for 13 homicides and criminal association with the mafia.

His brother Salvatore Russo, 51, was arrested yesterday after 14 years on the run. A third brother, Carmine, was also arrested today.

The Russo clan, based near the town of Nola, is a leading player in the Camorra organised crime syndicate that operates in and around Naples.