Italian Mafia Fugitive Apprehended in Colombia: A Major Drug Bust

The arrest of Emanuele Gregorini marks a significant victory for international law enforcement against transnational crime syndicates linked to the Italian mafia.

An Italian fugitive, Emanuele Gregorini, widely recognized as a prominent figure within the mafia, has been arrested in Colombia, specifically in the coastal city of Cartagena. Authorities depict Gregorini, alias "Dollarino," as a major orchestrator of cocaine shipments from Latin America to Europe. His apprehension resulted from a meticulous multinational operation involving police forces from Italy, Britain, and Colombia.

Gregorini had evaded capture since 2023, facing accusations of being a central player in the "Lombardy mafia system," an intricate alliance comprising the infamous Camorra, Cosa Nostra, and 'Ndrangheta mafia factions. Colombian authorities assert that Gregorini was instrumental in the logistics behind cocaine trafficking from Colombian ports, including Cartagena, Barranquilla, and Santa Marta to European markets.

Colombian Police Chief Carlos Triana stated that Gregorini's arrest is a significant blow against transnational criminal entities, highlighting his reputation as an "invisible narco" who managed to operate without drawing suspicion. Surveillance footage reveals Gregorini comfortably commuting between the gym and local dining establishments in a posh neighborhood where he resided.

Prosecutors have underscored that Gregorini's capture signals a growing infiltration of the Italian mafia into Latin American territories. A report from Insight Crime, a specialized think tank focused on organized crime, indicates that European criminal networks are firmly establishing drug smuggling routes in South America, decreasing reliance on local intermediaries. The expansion of Italian mafia operations into Colombia and Brazil has intensified over recent years, as further illustrated by another arrest—Luigi Belvedere, a high-profile Italian fugitive, was recently detained in Medellín, where he infamously posed beside the memorial of notorious drug lord, Pablo Escobar.