Manhunt in Europe: Chinese fugitive Bobo Jiang arrested in Barcelona and returned to Italy.

Rome - He landed this afternoon at Fiumicino airport, escorted by the agents of the Fugitive Active Search Team (FAST) Italy The International Police Cooperation Service (SCIP) has arrested Bobo Jiang, a leading figure in Chinese organized crime, on the run. He was arrested on September 1st in Barcelona during a complex transnational operation, made possible thanks to the activation of the European network. ENFAST (European Network of Fugitive Active Search Teams), specializing in the location and capture of dangerous international fugitives.

From the escape in Prato to the escape abroad

The investigative activities began on July 10, when Jiang managed to escape from the Prato Police Headquarters during identification procedures following an arrest. The investigations, coordinated by Public Prosecutor's Office of Prato, they immediately brought to light that the fugitive had moved abroad. Through the channels of Eurojust and with the involvement of the judicial authorities of Belgium and Spain, the international cooperation circuit was activated.

Thanks to the first evidence collected and the support of the Central Operative Service of the State Police, FAST Italy requested the collaboration of the ENFAST teams in Belgium and Spain, as there was information on the possible presence of the fugitive in those countries.

Monitoring between Antwerp and Barcelona

At a crucial stage, the Prato Flying Squad and the Antwerp Police contributed to the location of the wanted man through the geolocation of the telephone number attributed to him, which was found to be active in several cells in the Antwerp area. Subsequently, cross-checks with the Passenger Information Unit (PIU) from Italy and Spain have confirmed the flight to the Iberian Peninsula.

To evade border controls, Jiang used a genuine passport registered to another Chinese citizen residing in Barcelona, ​​also benefiting from the logistical support of a criminal network of fellow Chinese active in several European countries. This organization provided him with rental vehicles and even an apartment for his stay.

The arrest in Barcelona

Since August 4th, research activities have intensified thanks to the exchange of information between FAST Italy, FAST Spain (composed of operators from the Unidad de Droga y Crimen Organizado – UDYCO) and the Prato Flying Squad. Their joint work allowed them to monitor Jiang's movements, from the outskirts of Barcelona to incursions into French territory, until he was captured on September 1st in a delicate operation involving the Italian police and the Spanish National Police.

The arrest took place in execution of the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) issued by the Prato Public Prosecutor's Office on July 23 and forwarded to the Division SIRe.NE of the SCIP for localization throughout the Schengen area.

The effectiveness of the ENFAST circuit

The fugitive's return to Italy represents a significant achievement both for Italian justice and for European cooperation against transnational crime. The operation demonstrates, once again, the effectiveness of the network. ENFAST, capable of combining advanced technological tools, timely information exchange and operational collaboration between multiple Member States.

The case of Bobo Jiang confirms that fighting international organized crime requires a joint and coordinated approach, in which swift action and mutual trust between European police and judicial authorities are crucial to preventing fugitives from finding refuge across borders.