Italian Mafia Fugitive Arrested in Colombia after 4 Years: Visits Pablo Escobar’s Grave
Italian police have successfully captured a dangerous fugitive, Luigi Belvedere, in Colombia after he had been on the run for almost four years. Belvedere, who has been sentenced to nearly 19 years in jail for international drug trafficking, was accused of being the intermediary between Colombian drug cartels and the Naples mafia.
Belvedere, a broker from Caserta, north of Naples, specialized in the illegal importation of cocaine and played a crucial role in facilitating drug shipments between Colombian cartels and the Casalesi clans of the Camorra mafia. The Camorra mafia has deep roots in Naples and has various branches operating in the region.
Investigators were able to track down Belvedere in Colombia, where he was actively involved in organizing drug shipments from South America to Europe. His use of a well-known messaging system helped authorities locate and apprehend him with the assistance of Colombian investigators and Europol, the European Union’s policing body.
Interestingly, Italian police released a photo of Belvedere visiting the grave of Pablo Escobar, the infamous founder and leader of the Medellin cartel, who was killed by police in 1993. This detail adds a chilling dimension to Belvedere’s criminal activities and his connections to the drug trade in Latin America.
This arrest comes in the wake of other high-profile captures in Colombia, including that of Pazooki Farhad, known as “The Professor,” who was accused of leading a crime ring that trafficked cocaine from South America to Europe using sailboats. Farhad was detained at El Dorado airport, while his alleged accomplice, Bernsten Bjarte, was captured in Barranquilla.
The successful apprehension of Luigi Belvedere highlights the international cooperation and efforts to combat drug trafficking and organized crime. It serves as a reminder that law enforcement agencies around the world are actively working together to bring fugitives to justice and dismantle criminal networks involved in drug smuggling operations.
The arrest of Belvedere is a significant milestone in the fight against the global drug trade and sends a strong message to criminals involved in such illicit activities. It also underscores the importance of international partnerships and collaboration in addressing transnational organized crime and ensuring the safety and security of communities worldwide.
