Italian Fugitives Captured in Colombia's Mafia Operation

Emanuele Gregorini, an Italian fugitive known as "Dollarino," was arrested in Cartagena, revealing the expanding reach of Italian organized crime in Latin America.

In a significant operation, Colombian authorities have arrested Emanuele Gregorini, an Italian fugitive suspected of orchestrating large-scale cocaine shipments from Latin America to Europe. Known as "Dollarino," this key figure in the Italian mafia was captured in an upscale apartment in the coastal city of Cartagena. The arrest involved a collaborative effort among law enforcement agencies from Italy, the UK, and Colombia.

Gregorini had evaded capture since 2023, when he was implicated in the so-called "Lombardy mafia system," a coalition of notorious crime families including the Camorra, Cosa Nostra, and 'Ndrangheta. His alleged role in facilitating cocaine transport from Colombian ports such as Cartagena, Barranquilla, and Santa Marta highlights the evolving dynamics of drug trafficking networks.

Carlos Triana, the Chief of Colombia's national police, called Gregorini's capture a "severe blow" to international crime syndicates, characterizing him as an “invisible narco” due to his low-profile living. Surveillance images released show him routinely exercising and dining in local establishments without attracting attention.

According to insights from organized crime research group Insight Crime, there is a growing trend of European criminal organizations establishing direct drug trafficking routes in South America, rather than relying on local intermediaries. This increasing presence of Italian mafia groups has been noted particularly in Colombia and Brazil over recent years.

Notably, the arrest comes just months after another high-profile mafia figure, Luigi Belvedere, was detained in Medellín, where he infamously posed by the grave of Pablo Escobar, the legendary Colombian drug lord.