The operation was swift and surprise-based, with officers entering his residence armed, breaking down the door, and recovering a pistol with an erased serial number and six rounds.

Authorities aim to investigate the gang’s network, including criminal and financial links across southern Italy, and address issues like arms trafficking and money laundering.

Experts suggest that this arrest might expose structural weaknesses within the criminal network, potentially leading to further law enforcement actions to diminish the gang’s regional influence.

The Società Foggiana is considered as dangerous and violent as other notorious Mafia organizations like Cosa Nostra and Camorra.

This arrest highlights Italy’s ongoing efforts to combat organized crime in the Apulia region, an area historically influenced by the Società Foggiana gang.

Gesualdo is a prominent member of the Società Foggiana, a Mafia group involved in crimes such as arms trafficking, prostitution, robberies, and illegal waste disposal, and is regarded as a leading figure in the region.

During the arrest, officers found a pistol with an erased serial number, and footage released by the Italian Ministry of Defence shows Gesualdo surrendering peacefully, sleeping at the time.

Gesualdo was convicted of mafia association and sentenced in absentia to 12 years, but had been on the run since 2020.

He was considered one of Italy’s most dangerous fugitives and a leading member of the 'Società Foggiana' gang.

Leonardo Gesualdo, a 39-year-old Italian mafia fugitive and reputed leader of the 'Società Foggiana,' was arrested during a dawn raid near Foggia on October 7, 2025, after being on the run since 2020.

The investigation will be led by prosecutors and law enforcement officials, who have committed to transparency and sharing the next steps in the case.

Gesualdo, who was already serving a 12-year sentence for mafia-related activities, was found hiding in a suburb of Foggia and surrendered peacefully during the raid.

Gesualdo was discovered during a raid on a house on the outskirts of Foggia, where he did not resist arrest, and was handed over for further investigation into his ongoing criminal activities and possible accomplices.