Emanuele Gregorini, an Italian fugitive accused of orchestrating massive cocaine shipments from Latin America to Europe, has been arrested in Cartagena, Colombia.
Colombian authorities described Gregorini, also known as “Dollarino,” as the head of the Italian mafia in Latin America. He was tracked down to a luxury apartment in an upscale neighborhood as part of a multinational operation involving Italian, British, and Colombian investigators.
Gregorini had been on the run since 2023 after being accused of playing a key role in the “Lombardy mafia system,” an alliance between Italy’s Camorra, Cosa Nostra, and ‘Ndrangheta. Police say he coordinated cocaine shipments from Colombian port cities such as Cartagena, Barranquilla, and Santa Marta to Europe.
Colombian Police Chief Carlos Triana called the arrest “a severe blow” to transnational crime syndicates, describing Gregorini as an “invisible narco” who avoided drawing attention to himself. Surveillance footage showed him living a quiet life, frequenting a gym and local restaurants without fear of being recognized.
Experts suggest his capture highlights the growing presence of Italian mafia groups in Latin America. European criminal networks have been establishing their own drug smuggling routes in South America, reducing reliance on intermediaries.
Gregorini’s arrest follows the October 2023 capture of Luigi Belvedere, another high-profile Italian mafia figure, who was detained in Medellín after posing beside Pablo Escobar’s grave.
Authorities continue to investigate Italian mafia expansion in Latin America, as law enforcement agencies work to dismantle global drug trafficking operations.
