Italian court orders new extradition hearing for Dave Turmel of Blood Family Mafia

MONTREAL — An Italian court has ordered a new extradition hearing for Dave Turmel, who had been Canada’s most-wanted fugitive until his 2025 arrest.

Turmel’s lawyer, Danièle Roy, says her client successfully appealed an extradition order to Canada.

Roy says Turmel will remain detained inside Rome’s Regina Coeli prison while extradition proceedings continue.

Turmel is accused of being a key figure in the Blood Family Mafia, a Quebec criminal network that led a violent drug trafficking turf war in Quebec City and eastern Quebec against the Hells Angels.

He was arrested in Italy in 2025 after more than 600 days on the run, following a tip from Quebec City police to Italian authorities.

The Bolo program, operated by a Canadian charity in partnership with Canada’s police forces, had listed Turmel as its No. 1 most wanted criminal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 12, 2026.

Charlotte Glorieux, The Canadian Press