An Italian man linked to notorious mafia boss Toto Riina was issued with a Maltese ID card before police were informed of a European arrest warrant against him, authorities have confirmed.The man, Antonio Ciavarello, is Riina’s son-in-law and had been living in Malta when the warrant was issued by Italian authorities in January 2022 as reported by Times of Malta.Political party Momentum claimed Ciavarello was granted a Maltese residency card and VAT number in March 2022, around eight weeks after the warrant was issued.However, the Malta Police Force said it was only notified of the European Arrest Warrant in December 2023. The force said it acted “immediately” upon receiving the information, coordinating with the Attorney General and Italian authorities.Ciavarello was arrested in February 2024, with police saying all requirements for his arrest had been completed by the end of January.Authorities also noted that as an EU citizen, Ciavarello had freedom of movement within the Schengen Area.He had initially lived in Buġibba before moving to Mosta, and was also linked to a Malta-registered company.The case comes amid renewed attention on Riina’s alleged links to Malta. Reports have claimed the mafia boss once stayed at a property in Gozo now linked to Anton Refalo, though Refalo has said he only leased the residence and was unaware of Riina’s identity.Riina, who led the Corleonesi crime syndicate, was one of Sicily’s most feared mafia bosses and is believed to have ordered the killings of around 200 people, including anti-mafia prosecutors Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino.What do you make of this?Photo credits to Corriere Adriatico•