Italian police have arrested a suspected mafia boss who had been a fugitive for nine years, according to reports.

Giuseppe Dell'Aquila, 49, was captured in a fortified villa in Varcaturo, 30 kilometers northwest of Naples.

He is believed to be the leader of the Mallardo e Contini clan, a group within the Camorra organized crime entity which dominates the Campana region. His group allegedly controlled construction interests on the coast between Naples and Rome.

Investigators discovered that, under Dell'Aquila's leadership, the clan had made substantial property investments in the construction industry, police said in a statement.

In August 2009, Dell’Aquila was almost captured, but he escaped by leaping into the ocean and swimming away when police raided his luxury yacht in the Gulf of Naples.

Dell’Aquila is facing charges of mafia association, arms possession, extortion, robbery and money laundering.

Italian police described him as one of the most dangerous fugitives in circulation.

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