Rocco Morabito (born 1966)

Rocco Morabito
Born (1966-10-13) October 13, 1966
Africo, Reggio Calabria, Italy
Nationality Italian
Other names 'u tamunga
Known for Cocaine trafficking
Allegiance 'Ndrangheta

Rocco Morabito (born in Africo, October 13, 1966) is an Italian criminal and a member of the 'Ndrangheta, a Mafia-type organisation in Calabria. Before being arrested in Uruguay on 4 September 2017,[1] he had been a fugitive since 1994 being wanted for drug trafficking, Mafia association and other serious crimes. He had been included on the list of most wanted fugitives in Italy.[2]

'Ndrangheta heritage

He was born in Africo in the Locride in Calabria, the son of Domenico Morabito and Carmela Modaffari, and is related to 'Ndrangheta boss Giuseppe Morabito.[3][4] Rocco Morabito must serve a 30 years' prison sentence as a result the "Fortaleza" operation, trafficking of over 600 kilogrammes of cocaine between Brazil and Italy.[5] On February 10, 1995, an international arrest warrant on his name was issued. According to police investigators he is one of the top drug traffickers of the 'Ndrangheta.[6] His nickname is 'u tamunga, because he was driving a DKW Munga, an indestructible all-wheel drive car from Germany.[3][7]

Cocaine king of Milan

At age 25 he was in Milan where he were he mingled among the local young rampant jet set, while operating as the right-hand man of his uncle Domenico Antonio Mollica, another important boss of the Morabito clan.[4] Always wearing double-breasted suits, he was last seen in Milan when he was photographed by the police surrounded by his body guards with suitcases full of banknotes. According to a police investigator Morabito was able to make 15 billion Italian lire (approximately 7.5 million Euro) in two months.[7]

Due to his involvement in trafficking cocaine from South America to Italy, Morabito was nicknamed the "cocaine king of Milan".[4] Morabito was considered to be different than other crime bosses in those years, able to relate firsthand to the world of banks and accountants, finance and investment, understanding the importance of being low key and stop shedding blood to launder the proceeds of crime in silence.[5]

Fugitive

He was on the run since October 1994, after police, keeping him under surveillance, discovered him paying 13 billion lire ($8m) to import nearly a tonne of cocaine.[4][5][8][9] After an initial couple of years in Brazil, he is believed to have settled in Uruguay in 2002, in the sea-side resort Punta del Este, carrying false Brazilian identity papers in the name of Francisco Capeletto.[1]

Arrest

After 23 years on the run, Morabito was captured in a hotel in Montevideo in Uruguay on 4 September 2017, where he had moved after an argument with his wife.[10] Police investigations had begun in the spring when Uruguayan investigators discovered that Morabito had enrolled his 13-year-old daughter in school with her father's real surname. When arrested, he was in possession of a gun, in addition to two cars, 13 mobile phones, and a dozen credit cards. He is expected to be extradited to Italy.[1][11][12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Rocco Morabito: Italian mafia boss held in Uruguay, BBC News, 4 September 2017
  2. ↑ (in Italian) Morabito Rocco, Direzione centrale della Polizia Criminale - Programma Speciale di Ricerca
  3. 1 2 (in Italian) Un potere che non cambia mai tra soldi, donne e vendette di sangue, La Repubblica, May 4, 2007
  4. 1 2 3 4 (in Italian) Caccia al re milanese della cocaina, Corriere della Sera, 4 September 2015
  5. 1 2 3 (in Italian) Il boss della cocaina tra il Sudamerica e il cuore di Milano, La Repubblica, 5 September 2017
  6. ↑ (in Italian) Tre reggini nella lista dei latitanti più pericolosi, Gazzetta del Sud, December 30, 2013
  7. 1 2 (in Italian) La Duomo connection dei latitanti; così Milano è il rifugio per i boss, La Repubblica, February 7, 2008
  8. ↑ 'Cocaine king' mafia chief Rocco Morabito arrested in Uruguay after 23 years on the run, The Independent, 4 September 2017
  9. ↑ (in Italian) 'Ndrangheta, arrestato il boss della cocaina Rocco Morabito, ‘u Tamunga. La sua vita d’oro tra i locali milanesi, Corriere della Sera, 4 September 2017
  10. ↑ (in Spanish) Rocco Morabito, el capo mafioso que cayó por discutir con su mujer, El Observador, 5 September 2017
  11. ↑ (in Spanish) Capturaron en Uruguay a un alto miembro de la mafia italiana, El País de Montevideo, 4 September 2017
  12. ↑ Italian crime boss nabbed after 23 years on the run, CBS News, 4 September 2017
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