Canada’s most wanted fugitive arrested ‘in his hideout,’ Italian police say

Rome: The country’s most wanted fugitive, Dave “Pik” Turmel, has been arrested in Italy, according to Italian police sources.

The 28-year-old, who had been on the run for over a year, is believed to be the leader of the Blood Family Mafia (BFM).

The notorious street gang is involved in brutal turf wars in Quebec during which victims have been tortured and have had their limbs amputated.

In a news release issued Friday in response to CBC News inquiries, Rome District Police announced they arrested the head of “a notorious criminal organization.”

Turmel was not named in the release, but in a call with CBC News, police confirmed the individual arrested was indeed Turmel.

Italian police said Turmel specialized in the sale of narcotics of various kinds, including cocaine and methamphetamine and was taken “by surprise in his hideout” by the officers of Rome’s Casilino district.

“It was almost midnight when officers broke into the holiday home where the man had taken refuge,” read the news release. “He immediately tried to barricade himself in, only to give in shortly afterward.”

He reportedly handed over a fake passport as identification and police found and confiscated drugs, several SIM-cards and an agenda. They said he is now in jail at Regina Coeli awaiting extradition.

His presence was initially signalled by an alert sent to police by the Interpol International Police Cooperation Service, according to Italian police.

The 28-year-old is believed to be the leader of the Blood Family Mafia (BFM), a notorious street gang involved in brutal turf wars in Quebec. He has been wanted since 2023. 1:04

According to Radio-Canada sources, Quebec police officers received a tip about Turmel in recent days, which helped accelerate the investigation to locate him on the run in Italy.

Sources say the informant was motivated by the reward of up to $250,000 being offered for any information leading to Turmel’s arrest.

The police agency Interpol had also issued a red notice for him — a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender or similar legal action.

Quebec City’s police chief Denis Turcotte held a news conference Friday afternoon saying his team was able to confirm Turmel’s arrest in Italy this morning.

Turcotte says the arrest represents an update on one of the city’s most public cases.

“I think citizens will be proud of us and can continue to feel safe in our city,” he said. “You can’t do things like this on your own. You have to work as a team,” he said, thanking local and international partners.

He pointed to the creation of a fugitive search co-ordinator, a position created in December, who acted as an “orchestra conductor” to help locate people, including Turmel.

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Turcotte said the extradition process could now take anywhere from one week to six months. He says information regarding the potential $250,000 reward will not be divulged.

He says police will continue to collaborate as they search for other wanted individuals, including All Boivin, the second most wanted fugitive in Canada.

Boivin is believed to be Turmel’s sidekick and police say he is also involved in the violent drug-related turf wars that have erupted in Quebec. An award of up to $250,000 is being offered until June 3, 2025, for information leading to his arrest.

In December, Turmel was named the new number 1 suspect of the Bolo Program, a project operated by a Canadian charity to alert the public about dangerous criminals.

He had been wanted since July 24, 2023 by Quebec City police for several charges, including drug trafficking, conspiracy and armed assault.