Court Decides to Keep Italian Businessman Antonino V. in Custody

Kosice, March 15 (TASR) – A Kosice Regional Court judge decided on Thursday that Italian entrepreneur Antonino V. will remain in custody until an investigation in connection with a European arrest warrant for him issued by a court in Venice is concluded, TASR learnt from Kosice Regional Court spokesperson Anna Pancurova on the same day.

Antonino V. has been prosecuted in Italy for a drugs-related crime committed by an organised criminal group with transnational activities.

The decision to take the 42-year old businessman, who has operated in eastern Slovakia, into custody was made behind close doors. Pancurova added that the person in question can appeal against the court’s decision to the Supreme Court within three days. No appeal was filed immediately after the ruling.

According to Kosice Regional Prosecutor’s Office spokesman Milan Filicko, the main reason for keeping Antonino V. in custody is to make sure he won’t leave Slovakia and thus thwart the procedure for the European arrest warrant for him.

The police arrested Antonino V. in Michalovce (Kosice region) on Tuesday morning (March 13). He was also arrested shortly after the murders of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his girlfriend. He was released one day later, however. Kuciak’s final, unfinished article focused on the activities of Italian nationals allegedly linked to the Calabrian Mafia.