JAKARTA - 23 years of running away from pursuit, now Rocco Morabito is 'going home'. The Mafia 'Ndrangheta boss was flown by Interpol from Brazil to Italy in the extradition process.
Don't underestimate the mafia 'Ndrangheta. The group became one of the most widespread and powerful criminal organizations in the world, Interpol wrote.
Originating in the Italian region of Calabria, 'Ndrangheta has grown worldwide and continues to grow at a steady rate. Today, the 'Ndrangheta are considered the only Italian mafia organization present on every continent of the world.
Rocco Morabito is slippery like an eel. Rocco Morabito was arrested in Uruguay in 2017 led by the Italian Carabinieri Special Operations Division and Investigation Unit.
Two years later, he managed to escape from prison. Interpol immediately released a red notice for Morabito.
Morabito was finally arrested in Brazil in March 2021 through a joint operation between the Brazilian Federal Police and the Italian Carabinieri with support from INTERPOL.
Morabito continued to run from police pursuit for 23 years after being sentenced by an Italian court to a sentence of 30 years in prison.
Morabito is considered a leading international drug broker and one of the world's most wanted fugitives, according to the Italian Interior Ministry. The extradition follows intensive cooperation between INTERPOL's National Central Bureau (NCB) in Brazil and Italy.
"The extradition of Rocco Morabito sends a strong message: however strong the mafia criminal networks are, our global police network is stronger," said Giovanni Bombardieri, Chief Prosecutor of the Reggio Calabria Antimafia Prosecution Office.
“'The Ndrangheta Cooperative leverages enormous financial resources to avoid facing justice, but by mobilizing law enforcement through INTERPOL, we will find them and ensure they are held accountable for their actions in the end.”
Arresting criminals linked to 'Ndrangheta is a core goal of the I-CAN project. The project has captured more than 25 fugitives worldwide since its launch in 2020 .
"'Ndrangheta are not just an Italian problem; they represent a global threat and have exploited links to organized crime groups in South America to enrich themselves," said Márcio Nunes de Oliveira, Director General of the Brazilian Federal Police.
“This criminal war sword is then reinvested in a series of legitimate and illegal activities, which further pollute the global economy.”
Brazil is one of 13 countries participating in INTERPOL's I-CAN project, linking cross-border special police units to share intelligence and partnering in operations to combat the 'Ndrangheta.
“No matter how high they are in the criminal world, no member of the mafia is above the law,” said Jürgen Stock, Secretary General of INTERPOL.
"The extradition of Rocco Morabito is a vivid example of how multilateral cooperation between INTERPOL's NCBs can bring even the most powerful organized criminals to justice," Stock said.
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