Colombia has extradited alleged Italian mafia boss Emanuele Gregorini, known as “Dollarino”, to Italy after authorities accused him of coordinating major cocaine trafficking operations between Latin America and Europe.
The transfer took place from El Dorado International Airport in Bogota, Colombia, local media reported on 9th March, when Colombian authorities handed Gregorini over to officials from Interpol Italy following a request issued by the Court of Milan.
According to Colombia’s National Police and its Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Interpol (Dijin), Gregorini is wanted in Italy on charges including mafia association and crimes linked to drug trafficking and transnational organised crime.
The extradition was authorised by the Criminal Chamber of Colombia’s Supreme Court after judges determined that there were no legal obstacles preventing the handover.
Gregorini was arrested on 18th March 2025 in Cartagena, a port city on Colombia’s Caribbean coast in Bolivar department, after investigators identified his location through biometric database comparisons and surveillance camera monitoring.
Authorities said the suspect had been one of the most sought-after fugitives linked to Italian organised crime and was subject to an Interpol Red Notice circulated in 196 countries.
Colombian police identified Gregorini as a key figure in the so-called Lombardo mafia system, a criminal structure authorities say links the Italian mafias Camorra, Cosa Nostra and ’Ndrangheta.
Investigators said his role involved forging alliances with criminal organisations across Latin America to secure and expand cocaine trafficking routes bound for Europe.
According to Dijin director Colonel Elver Vicente Alfonso Sanabria, Gregorini had been attempting to establish links with Colombian groups, including the Clan del Golfo and Los Costenos, as part of efforts to reorganise export routes for large cocaine shipments.
Authorities said the network operated through major Caribbean ports including Cartagena, Barranquilla and Santa Marta, where investigators believe large quantities of drugs were loaded onto cargo bound for Europe.
Police also reported that the organisation used advanced methods to evade customs inspections, including 3D printing technology to replicate original container security seals.
Investigators said containers would allegedly be opened, contaminated with cocaine and then resealed with cloned seals to conceal any sign of tampering.
During his time in Colombia, Gregorini reportedly posed as a foreign businessman living in Cartagena while investigators quietly monitored his movements and daily routine.
At the time of his arrest, authorities said officers seized mobile phones, cash, luxury watches and jewellery, which were handed over to judicial authorities as part of the investigation.
Gregorini will now face proceedings before the Court of Milan, which is seeking him on charges including mafia association and offences linked to international drug trafficking and organised crime.
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below. Story By: Aloysius Fernandes, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash
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