Bogota, Colombia – Colombian authorities stated Friday they captured an alleged chief of the Italian ’ndrangheta mafia in Latin America who’s accused of overseeing cocaine shipments and managing unlawful trafficking routes to Europe.
Police recognized the suspect as Giuseppe Palermo, often known as “Peppe,” an Italian who was needed below an Interpol purple discover, which referred to as for his arrest in 196 international locations.
He was apprehended on the road in Colombia’s capital Bogota throughout a coordinated operation between Colombian, Italian and British authorities, in addition to Europol, the European Union’s regulation enforcement company, in line with an official report.
Palermo is believed to be a part of “probably the most tightly knit cells” of the ’ndrangheta mafia, stated Carlos Fernando Triana, head of the Colombian police, in a message posted on X.
The ’ndrangheta, one in every of Italy’s strongest and secretive legal organizations, has prolonged its affect overseas and is extensively accused of importing cocaine into Europe.
The suspect “not solely led the acquisition of huge shipments of cocaine in Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador, but in addition managed the maritime and land routes used to move the medication to European markets,” Triana added.
Unlawful cocaine manufacturing reached 3,708 tons in 2023, a rise of practically 34% from the earlier 12 months, pushed primarily by the growth of coca leaf cultivation in Colombia, in line with the United Nations.
