Hunted from all sides, the former strongman of the Rizzuto clan has been hiding as a fugitive since the police prevented him from fleeing Canada urgently by arresting him at Trudeau airport on March 23, according to information from our Bureau of Investigation.
Del Balso, a specialist in extortion and illegal sports betting, had been advised by relatives of the underworld that his life was in danger and that he had better get out of the way as soon as possible.

However, the mafioso known for his impulsive and angry temperament was already under police surveillance, since the authorities considered him a suspect in the attempted murder perpetrated on lawyer Rizzuto, when he was trying to take a flight in the direction of the city. 'Europe.
The police therefore arrested him and confiscated his passport to prevent Del Balso from managing to escape.
Reprisals
According to our sources, the presumed motive behind this settling of scores is a response to the attempted murder of which Del Balso himself was the victim, on November 7, also in Laval.

At least six shots were fired in the direction of the Lexus SUV where he was sitting but he escaped unscathed.
However, law enforcement would have no evidence or clues leading them to believe that Leonardo Rizzuto could have authorized or ordered the armed attack on Del Balso.

The police continue to keep an eye on the latter despite his movements.
Searches
Del Balso was not at his home in Laval when the police carried out one of the eight searches carried out there simultaneously on Wednesday by the Sûreté du Québec, which is seeking to elucidate the crime committed at the expense of Leonardo Rizzuto and by the Squad National Organization for Repression against Organized Crime (ENRCO), which is carrying out an anti-drug investigation targeting three influential members of the Hells Angels.
As one might expect, the March 15 shooting that the late godfather's son Vito Rizzuto survived despite being hit by multiple gunshots caused quite a stir in the highest circles of the organized crime, both on the side of the Italian mafia and the Hells Angels bikers.
Several meetings have been organized, within the two groups but also between Hells Angels and members of the Rizzuto clan, since Del Balso is now considered by the police to be closer to bikers than to the mafia, our Office has learned. of investigation.
Our sources, as well as police documents, say that Del Balso would even be closely linked to the most influential Quebec member of the Hells, Martin Robert, and to the one who would be unofficial number 2 of the gang, Stéphane Plouffe.
The Hells Robert and Plouffe are also among the business “associates” of the Rizzuto clan, according to a report by the Criminal Intelligence Service of Quebec produced in 2021.
Coincidence or not, Robert and Plouffe were also targeted by the series of searches carried out on Wednesday in the ENRCO anti-drug investigation.
According to our information, this ENRCO investigation targeting the Hells and the search targeting Del Balso in relation to the shooting against Leonardo Rizzuto are however two separate files. This suggests that the bikers would therefore not be involved in the Rizzuto affair.