Washi Laroo, one of three men arrested last December, has been extradited from the Netherlands to Italy and is now being held in Milan’s San Vittore prison. The arrest was part of an investigation led by Milan prosecutor Luigi Luzi and conducted by the Carabinieri into a deadly warehouse fire set on September 12 of last year in the Lombard capital. The blaze killed three young Chinese nationals, including two brothers aged 18 and 17, and a 24-year-old.
The trial for the two alleged masterminds, Yijie Yao and Bing Zhou, and for Laroo as the alleged perpetrator, is set to begin on September 10 before the Court of Assizes of Milan. This follows a request for an immediate trial from the Prosecutor’s Office. They face charges of multiple premeditated murder, arson, and attempted extortion.
Laroo, a 26-year-old Dutch citizen, was initially arrested in the Netherlands on a European arrest warrant. His extradition was delayed due to concerns over prison conditions. Now that he has been handed over to Italian authorities, he will face trial in Italy, though any potential prison sentence may be served in the Netherlands.
According to the investigation, the motive for the crime was a €40,000 debt that the warehouse owner allegedly owed to the suspected masterminds. The victims were guests of the owner and were sleeping inside the structure on the night of the fire.