DRUG SMUGGLER ORDERED EXTRADITED

Canadian Citizen Caruana Faces Prison In Italy After Losing Charter
Bid To Stay

Alfonso Caruana, reputed kingpin of a worldwide Mafia drug-smuggling
organization, has been ordered extradited to his native Italy, where
he faces more than 21 years in prison.

Believed to be one of Italy's most notorious Cosa Nostra leaders, the
58-year-old Canadian citizen had tried to use the Charter of Rights
and Freedoms to avoid extradition.

In a lengthy decision rendered yesterday, Mr. Justice David Watt of
the Ontario Superior Court dismissed Mr. Caruana's Charter
application.

He ruled that the Crown had successfully demonstrated the Italian
charges were comparable to charges for which Mr. Caruana would be
required to stand trial in Canada.

Judge Watt said his role in the case was "modest" on Charter matters
because it was an extradition hearing, according to Mr. Caruana's
lawyer, Joseph Neuberger.

Mr. Neuberger and co-counsel David Rose had argued the extradition
hearing was an abuse of process that robbed their client of his
constitutional right to a fair trial.

"We're disappointed, but this is not a surprise," Mr. Neuberger said.
He confirmed Mr. Caruana will appeal the decision, adding that it is
only the first phase of a lengthy process, which could take two years.

During the hearing, Crown prosecutor Robin Parker displayed documents
to the court detailing cash transactions of millions of dollars
between Mr. Caruana and his associates over the years, payments she
alleged were for drugs.

Mr. Caruana was convicted in absentia in 1995 by a court in Palermo,
Sicily, for crimes including Mafia association and drug
trafficking.

In February of 2000, Mr. Caruana pleaded guilty to two counts of
conspiracy to import and traffic in cocaine and received concurrent
18-year terms.

On April 8, 2003, the Italian government made the request for his
extradition.

The request was made only six days before his scheduled release from a
medium-security prison to a halfway house with just one-sixth of his
sentence served.

Mr. Neuberger said he suspected Canadian officials had alerted Italian
authorities about Mr. Caruana's imminent release, but had no proof of
his claim.

During the hearing, Mr. Caruana said he lived on $400 a week he earned
washing cars, but was living in a large house in Woodbridge, north of
Toronto.

Mr. Caruana will be returned to Fenbrook Penitentiary in Gravenhurst,
Ont., a medium-security facility. His case is expected to come up for
ministerial review by next spring.