Colombia has arrested a suspected leader of Italy’s ‘Ndrangheta mafia, believed to oversee cocaine shipments and trafficking routes to Europe. Giuseppe Palermo, also known as “Peppe”, was apprehended on the streets of Bogota during a coordinated operation involving Colombian, Italian, British authorities, and Europol.
The suspect is part of one of Italy’s most powerful and ruthless mafia cells, accused of importing cocaine into European markets. Authorities believe Palermo led the purchase of large cocaine shipments in Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador, controlling maritime and land routes to transport drugs to European markets.
The ‘Ndrangheta has increasingly wielded its influence overseas, with illegal cocaine production reaching 3,708 tonnes in 2023, a 34% increase from the previous year. The global illicit drug trade is estimated to be worth over $500 billion annually.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/12/colombia-arrests-alleged-leader-of-italian-mafia-in-latin-america