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| Cocaine trafficker Roberto Pannunzi back in jail after arrest in Colombia | Cocaine trafficker Roberto Pannunzi back in jail after arrest in Colombia |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The man identified by investigators as the lynchpin of the multibillion dollar transatlantic cocaine trade was back in an Italian jail on Sunday after being extradited from Colombia. | The man identified by investigators as the lynchpin of the multibillion dollar transatlantic cocaine trade was back in an Italian jail on Sunday after being extradited from Colombia. |
| Roberto Pannunzi – alias Bebe – is credited with soldering the link between the Calabrian mafia, known as the 'Ndrangheta, and the Medellín cartels that turned the 'Ndrangheta into Italy's richest and most feared organised crime syndicate. In a tweet announcing Pannunzi's arrest, the Colombian defence ministry described the Italian as "this country's most wanted man". | Roberto Pannunzi – alias Bebe – is credited with soldering the link between the Calabrian mafia, known as the 'Ndrangheta, and the Medellín cartels that turned the 'Ndrangheta into Italy's richest and most feared organised crime syndicate. In a tweet announcing Pannunzi's arrest, the Colombian defence ministry described the Italian as "this country's most wanted man". |
| At the height of his underworld career, Pannunzi is believed to have been shifting up to two tonnes of cocaine a month into Europe. Nicola Gratteri, the prosecutor who has been co-ordinating the Italian end of the operation to ensnare him, said: "He's the sort who doesn't count his money; he weighs it." | At the height of his underworld career, Pannunzi is believed to have been shifting up to two tonnes of cocaine a month into Europe. Nicola Gratteri, the prosecutor who has been co-ordinating the Italian end of the operation to ensnare him, said: "He's the sort who doesn't count his money; he weighs it." |
| Twice before, Pannunzi had been captured – and twice before he had walked free. The first time he was arrested was in Colombia in 1994. Five years later, still untried, he was let go because, under Italian law, he could no longer be held on remand. Recaptured in Madrid in 2004, he was handed over again to the Italians. This time, he was tried and given a sentence of more than 16 years. | Twice before, Pannunzi had been captured – and twice before he had walked free. The first time he was arrested was in Colombia in 1994. Five years later, still untried, he was let go because, under Italian law, he could no longer be held on remand. Recaptured in Madrid in 2004, he was handed over again to the Italians. This time, he was tried and given a sentence of more than 16 years. |
| But in 2010, he was transferred from jail on health grounds to a private clinic near Rome. In the March of that year, he vanished. | But in 2010, he was transferred from jail on health grounds to a private clinic near Rome. In the March of that year, he vanished. |
| In 1994, he was said to have reacted by asking the leader of the Colombian police special forces unit that burst in on him: "Do you want a million dollars? In cash. Right now." | |
| Investigators said he travelled with a briefcase stuffed with notes to offer as a bribe if was found by law enforcement officers. A chain of diamonds round his neck served the same purpose. | Investigators said he travelled with a briefcase stuffed with notes to offer as a bribe if was found by law enforcement officers. A chain of diamonds round his neck served the same purpose. |
| Pannunzi was captured yet again on Friday in a Bogotá shopping centre, and arrested by Italian police on his return to Rome on Saturday evening. | Pannunzi was captured yet again on Friday in a Bogotá shopping centre, and arrested by Italian police on his return to Rome on Saturday evening. |
| Though often described as a mobster, Pannunzi is not known to have taken part in crimes of violence, nor is he thought to be a sworn member of any of Italy's mafias. His career has been built on mediation between different crime syndicates. | Though often described as a mobster, Pannunzi is not known to have taken part in crimes of violence, nor is he thought to be a sworn member of any of Italy's mafias. His career has been built on mediation between different crime syndicates. |
| Evidence pieced together from various investigations suggested his role was to collect guarantees of payment from various 'Ndrangheta clans to pay for a shipment of cocaine from South America. Pannunzi would then broker the deal with the Colombians. | Evidence pieced together from various investigations suggested his role was to collect guarantees of payment from various 'Ndrangheta clans to pay for a shipment of cocaine from South America. Pannunzi would then broker the deal with the Colombians. |
| Born in Rome of a Calabrian mother, Pannunzi emigrated with his family to Canada as a boy. There, he learned English and came into contact with mobsters from both the 'Ndrangheta and Sicily's Cosa Nostra. | Born in Rome of a Calabrian mother, Pannunzi emigrated with his family to Canada as a boy. There, he learned English and came into contact with mobsters from both the 'Ndrangheta and Sicily's Cosa Nostra. |
| On his return from Canada, he established himself initially in Rome, where he opened a clothing shop called Il Papavero, the poppy –a grim joke since, at that time, he was making his living as a go-between in the trade in opiates. | On his return from Canada, he established himself initially in Rome, where he opened a clothing shop called Il Papavero, the poppy –a grim joke since, at that time, he was making his living as a go-between in the trade in opiates. |
| Roberto Saviano, the author of the book Gomorrah, which deals with Italy's third mafia, the Neapolitan Camorra, wrote in an article for the daily La Repubblica that it was Pannunzi who persuaded Marseilles gangsters to set up a refinery in Sicily, putting Cosa Nostra at the centre of the trafficking of heroin into Europe. | Roberto Saviano, the author of the book Gomorrah, which deals with Italy's third mafia, the Neapolitan Camorra, wrote in an article for the daily La Repubblica that it was Pannunzi who persuaded Marseilles gangsters to set up a refinery in Sicily, putting Cosa Nostra at the centre of the trafficking of heroin into Europe. |
| But Pannunzi's masterstroke was to anticipate that, because of the spread of HIV/Aids and other factors, heroin was a fading market and that the key trade in future would be in cocaine. | But Pannunzi's masterstroke was to anticipate that, because of the spread of HIV/Aids and other factors, heroin was a fading market and that the key trade in future would be in cocaine. |
| He was uniquely placed to broker deals between the Calabrians on the one hand and the Medellín cartels on the other: he had married a woman from the 'Ndrangheta stronghold of Siderno, and his son wed the daughter of an alleged Colombian "godfather". | He was uniquely placed to broker deals between the Calabrians on the one hand and the Medellín cartels on the other: he had married a woman from the 'Ndrangheta stronghold of Siderno, and his son wed the daughter of an alleged Colombian "godfather". |
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