Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Gilmar Mendes has ordered the immediate suspension of the extradition to Italy of Marco Cadeddu, who was sentenced to 14 years and six months in prison for criminal conspiracy, drug trafficking, receiving stolen goods, and money laundering.
The decision - reports Carta Capital - was made a few hours before the scheduled boarding at São Paulo International Airport.
Cadeddu, believed to be a member of a criminal organization active in the distribution of narcotics in Sardinia, was arrested in Brazil in June 2024 during an operation by the Federal Police with the support of Interpol .
The extradition was imminent when the defense filed an urgent appeal, arguing that the handover to Italy was taking place without verifying compliance with the conditions previously set by the Supreme Court itself .
According to the judge's clarification, there is no absolute bar to extradition when proceedings are still pending in Brazil. However, in this specific case, the magistrate noted the lack of documentation in the case file demonstrating that Italy has formally undertaken the commitments required by Brazilian migration law, nor that any investigations or proceedings still underway in Brazil have been concluded .
In addition to suspending the extradition, the judge ordered the immediate notification of the decision to the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Federal Police.
The Court will re-examine the situation following communications from the competent authorities or the acquisition of new elements.
Cadeddu, a 45-year-old from Selargius, was imprisoned in Uta ten years ago for allegedly leading, along with an accomplice, a gang capable of importing more than 300 kilos of drugs a year into the city and surrounding Cagliari area, generating a turnover of €10 million . Then, while waiting for his sentence to become final, he moved to Brazil in 2020, got married, and started a business as a company administrator.
