An important Italian ‘Ndrangheta mafia boss was recently arrested in Bogota, Colombia. Giuseppe Palermo, alias “Peppe,” was captured in the Colombian capital in a joint operation involving the Colombian police, INTERPOL, Europol, the UK, and Italy. According to authorities, “Peppe” was one of the main representatives of the powerful ‘Ndrangheta in Latin America. He played a key role in linking local criminal organizations with the Italian mafia to export cocaine to Europe.
Italian mafia boss arrested in Bogota, Colombia
The suspect was the subject of a red notice from INTERPOL and was at the center of the mega-operation “I-CAN” against the ‘Ndrangheta, which also led to the capture of 21 other members of the Italian mafia in Europe.
Palermo’s arrest was reported last Friday, July 11. According to Colombian police chief General Carlos Triana, alias “Peppe” “not only led the purchase of large cocaine shipments in Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador, but also controlled maritime and land routes to transport the drug to European markets.”
According to President Petro, Palermo “belonged to the ‘Platì’ clan, considered one of the most historic, secretive, clandestine, and important cores of the Italian ‘Ndrangheta mafia.”
The suspect was reportedly arrested in Bogota as he exited a grocery store and is now in the custody of the national police.
CAPTURAMOS CABECILLA PRINCIPAL DE LA MAFIA ITALIANA 'NDRANGHETA, DELEGADO PARA AMÉRICA LATINA*
El 11JUL25 en Bogotá D.C. La Policía Nacional de Colombia en el marco de la cooperación internacional entre autoridades de Reino Unido, Italia y EUROPOL lograron la captura de… pic.twitter.com/CTjId98U5i
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) July 11, 2025
A few months ago, another high-profile member of the ‘Ndrangheta was arrested in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. Emanuele Gregorini, leader of the Lombard Mafia System—which includes the Camorra, Cosa Nostra, and ‘Ndrangheta mafias—was allegedly responsible for sending large shipments of cocaine from Colombia, Panama, and Brazil to Europe.
International criminals in Colombia
Due to cooperation between Colombian authorities and European partners, an increasing number of foreign drug kingpins are being arrested in Colombia. The large presence of these foreign criminals is linked to Colombia’s strategic position in international drug trafficking. As one of the main departure points for cocaine, Colombia is also its leading producer, accounting for nearly 70% of global production in 2023, according to the UNODC.
According to organized crime experts, Colombia has become an important meeting and coordination point for European mafias and Latin American criminal organizations to organize and manage transnational drug trafficking.
In cities like Medellin, the local crime structure “Oficina de Envigado”—a former hitman network founded by the now-defunct Medellin Cartel—offers protection for these foreign criminals to operate and deepen their ties, in exchange for certain compensations. This favorable environment explains the abundance of news about foreign drug lords being arrested in the city, ranging from members of the Italian ‘Ndrangheta mafia to figures from Germany’s criminal underworld.