My friend … the Mafia mobster

February 25, 2009 by The Boss · Leave a Comment

A Lancashire man has told of the chilling moment he realised his friend was actually a member of the feared Italian Mafia.

The man, who is from Chorley but too frightened to be named, told the Evening Post he quizzed Giuseppe Persico when he noticed scars from gunshots and stab wounds all over his body.

Persico, 34, known to his English friends as Joseph or Joe, was convicted of drugs trafficking in November 2008.

He had been in Chorley for two years before Italian authorities swooped on him at Faro airport in Portugal and extradited him to Italy.

It came 18 months after Mafia godfather Gennaro Panzuto, 34, was arrested at his home in Cock Robin Lane, Catterall, near Garstang, and extradited.

The Evening Post revealed that Panzuto, who has turned supergrass, has confessed to a murder and is giving information to officials in Italy about several other associates.

The 20-year-old man who befriended Persico claimed Panzuto and Persico were friends with another man living in Lancashire who shared the same distinctive tattoo – an intricate inking of three white faces on one of their forearms.

He said: “He told me Gennaro had said he either came over here or died. That was his choice. There had been a violent battle in Italy and when he arrived he still had open wounds.

“He settled in Accrington with his girlfriend. But Gennaro said it was her or him – they split up.”

Persico came to Chorley and got a job with a removals firm. He moved into a house in Geoffrey Street, then took a room in Eaves Lane. He was a regular in the Bretherton Arms. The friend, unaware of Persico’s past, used to jokingly call him “Tony Montana” after a mob character in the film Scarface.

He recalls: “I saw him in his boxers one day. He was full of gunshots and stab scars. There was an entry and exit wound on his left arm, and about eight scars on his right shoulder. There were stab scars on his stomach.

“I said: ‘Joe, you were in the Mafia weren’t you?’. He said ‘no’ at first and shook it off. He didn’t admit it to me for weeks. But he loved his cocaine and when he was off his head one night he finally told me the truth.

“He said he wanted a heart-to-heart. He showed me photographs of himself when he first came to England – his wounds were still open. He told me he was the only one in the clan who could speak good English.

“Joseph was scared of Gennaro. Then Gennaro disappeared and we learned he had been arrested. Gennaro started grassing everyone up – that’s the reason Joe has been arrested.

“Joe found out he was wanted on an international warrant. But he had to go to pick some money up from his bank account in Portugal. There are some Mafia contacts of his over there, and in Barcelona. I went to see him one day and warned him it was only a matter of time if he flew over. But he still went.”

Persico was arrested at Faro airport and since then his friend has written to him. He says Persico had revealed he could face 20 years in prison.

“I never knew they were as high up in the Mafia as the papers said. I just wanted to stress to people that he was a good lad. He is nothing like he is being made out to be. He’s a really nice lad. I just don’t see a wrong side to him. He was fun to have around.

“He was quiet about his past, never boasted about it and told me to never say a word.”

He revealed a female friend of Persico’s was sending him coverage of the case from Lancashire through the post.

Other friends of Persico’s are still reeling from his shock arrest.

Brian Dervish, landlord of the Bretherton Arms, said: “He used to drink in here but was good as gold and never caused any trouble. He would have a drink with two of his work bosses. Everyone was shocked to hear what was going on.”

lep.co.uk/news/My-friend–the-Mafia.5010806.jp