Rocco Morabito is one of Italy’s most wanted fugitives, convicted of drug trafficking and with links to the ‘Ndrangheta mafia, according to INTERPOL (Source: INTERPOL)

By Gary Raynaldo      DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

Rocco Morabito, known as the “Cocaine King of Milan”, has been extradited from Brazil to Italy with the assistance of INTERPOL. Morabito, one of Italy’s most wanted, had been on the run for more than two decades after an Italian court sentenced him to 30 years for international drug trafficking.   The convicted Italian drug lord, linked to the ‘Ndrangheta mafia, is considered a top international drug broker and one of the most wanted fugitives in the world, according to the Italian Ministry of Interior. Arrested in Brazil in March 2021 through a joint operation between the Brazilian Federal Police and the Italian Carabinieri with support from INTERPOL, Morabito had spent 23 years on the run from Italian justice. Whilst awaiting extradition to Italy he escaped from jail in Uruguay in 2019, and an INTERPOL Red Notice was issued against him. Morabito, was said to be involved in the trafficking of drugs between Brazil and Italy since the 1990s.  Due to his involvement in trafficking cocaine from South America to Italy, Morabito was nicknamed the “cocaine king of Milan”.   Morabito was spotted in a city in northern Brazil. Authorities arrested him in João Pessoa in 2021.  Morabito’s lawyer tried to block the extradition proceedings,  seeking political asylum for his client. However, justices of Brazil’s Supreme Court said that the sentences imposed by Italian courts are for ordinary crimes, not political ones. They added that “Italy is a democracy.”

With origins in the Italian region of Calabria, the ‘Ndrangheta is considered Italy’s most extensive and powerful mafia group, with activities on every continent and strong ties to the trade in cocaine bound for Europe from South America, according to INTERPOL.

Mafia boss Rocco Morabito extradited from Brazil  to Italy Jul 6, 2022.

“The extradition of Rocco Morabito sends a powerful message: however strong the criminal web of mafia groups may be, our global police network is stronger.  ‘Ndrangheta operatives leverage immense financial resources to avoid facing justice, but by mobilizing law enforcement through INTERPOL, we will find them and ensure they account for their actions in the end.”

-Giovanni Bombardieri, Chief Prosecutor of the Antimafia Prosecution Office of Reggio Calabria.

Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock.

“No matter how high up they are in the criminal underworld, no mafia member is above the law. The extradition of Rocco Morabito is a concrete example of how multilateral cooperation between INTERPOL NCBs can bring even the most powerful organized criminals to justice.”

-Jürgen Stock, INTERPOL Secretary General

Arresting individuals linked to the ‘Ndrangheta is a core goal of the I-CAN project, which has already helped arrest more than 25 fugitives around the world since its launch in 2020, according to INTERPOL. 

The  International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) is an inter-governmental organization made up of  195 member countries.  INTERPOL connects all its member countries via a communications system called I-24/7. Countries use this secure network to contact each other, and the General Secretariat.