Raffaele 'Lelluccio' Imperiale - hands over UAE island

Imperiale bought the island, named Taiwan, while in hiding. Its value is estimated at €60m-€80m. It is part of an artificial archipelago off the coast of the United Arab Emirates called “The World”. Imperiale faces 15 years in jail and has been demonstrating his willingness to cooperate in the hope of receiving a reduced sentence.

Raffaele Imperiale, a member of the Neapolitan Camorra, is telling cops all he knows. Imperiale’s decision to rat took place in October. He has made statements against at least two, one of them being mob boss Daniel Kinahan, who has any number of investigations, including being the target of a DEA and US Treasury Department investigation for which there is a $5M reward. Imperiale attended Kinahan’s wedding at the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai in 2017. He is one of the leaders of a ‘super cartel’.

Also turning rat is Bruno Carbone, 45, who was busted with Imperiale in Dubai.

Italian Justice Minister Marta Cartabia went to Dubai to request, for the third time, the extradition of Camorra drug trafficker Raffaele Imperiale, number two on Italy’s most wanted list. She was successful and Imperiale was flown to Rome. Imperiale was arrested last summer in Dubai at Italy’s request. In January, the United Arab Emirates rejected Italy’s second request for his extradition. Imperiale was wanted for years by Italian cops. He is a member of the Amato-Pagano clan and is one of the most powerful drug traffickers in the world. He is closely linked to Daniel Kinahan. The extradition application for the mobster stated that he was a member of a 'Super Cartel' along with Kinahan, Balkan mob boss Edin Gacanin and the caged Ridouan Taghi.

Top Camorra narco Raffaele Imperiale, 46, was arrested in Dubai on August 4 2022.

Imperiali has been on the run since 2016, living a hugely lavish life in the UAE. The DEA exposed a global drug cartel headed by Imperiale, Ridouan Taghi, Daniel Kinahan and Edin Gačanin. The group was observed by the DEA having meetings in the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, it's base of operations.

In 2016, two Van Gogh paintings stolen in 2002 from an Amsterdam museum were found stashed in a farmhouse on property owned by Imperiale near Naples.