Carmelo Bruzzese

Carmelo Bruzzese is a citizen of Italy as well as a permanent resident in Canada. He moved to Canada May 3, 1974. Three years later he made a return to Italy. Many times he travelled between countries and on December 12, 2009 Bruzzese intended to settle in Canada with his wife Carla Calabro who is also a Canadian citizen.

In 2008 Bruzzese was charged but acquitted for association with the Rizzuto criminal organization. Bruzzese was charged later for his association with the 'Ndrangheta and September 2010 the Italian authorities issued a warrant for his arrest for mafia-type association crime article 416-bis of the Italian Criminal Code.

Italy ordered an arrest warrant against Bruzzese, however, there is no charge in Canada for association with a mafia-like organization and was not extradited because of that.

A section 44 IRPA report was written alleging that Mr Bruzzese is inadmissible under paragraph 37(1)(a) of the IRPA for membership in the ‘Ndrangheta, a criminal organization. The Immigration Division received the report and on August 22, 2013 a warrant was issued for Bruzzese’s arrest. The next day the immigration authorities arrested and detain Bruzzese on the allegation of being unlikely to appear and being a danger to the public.

During the 48-hour detention review, Bruzzese’s detention was to continue as he is a danger to the public and would be unlikely to appear for removal. Bruzzese has a close association with the criminal organization the ‘Ndrangheta. Bruzzese was also facing charges in Italy for his association with a mafia organization and a warrant was issued for his arrest. His son was convicted for association with a mafia organization and his daughter married a man that is believed to be high ranking in the ‘Ndrangheta.

It was noted that there was an indication of association with a criminal organization and Bruzzese admitted under oath that his children physically brought high amounts of cash to him in Canada from Italy regularly. He drove a BMW that was registered as someone else’s car, his medications were prescribed to another person and he bought a home in Canada for $600,000 with one of his sons even though he did not earn enough money in Canada to file a tax return.

On October 2, 2015, Bruzzese was escorted onto a plane in Toronto, Ontario, Canada where he was arrested by Italian police. Major Giuseppe De Felice, a commander with the Carabinieri, a national paramilitary police force told the IRB that Bruzzese took the most important roles and made important decisions and gave orders. The ‘Ndrangheta is a huge organization and in Canada there are many families from Calabria that are associated to the ‘Ndrangheta. De Felice said the lifeblood of ‘Ndrangheta is, “cocaine, cocaine, cocaine.”

Bruzzese linked to mob clans involved in drugs, weapons, financial crimes and black market deal.