Image copyright Uruguayan Interior Ministry Image caption Rocco Morabito had been on the run since 1994

One of Italy's most wanted fugitives has been arrested in Uruguay after 23 years on the run from convictions for mafia association and drug trafficking.

Rocco Morabito of the 'Ndrangheta organised crime gang was detained in the resort of Punta del Este.

Uruguayan police said he had been living there for more than 10 years under a false identity.

He was nicknamed "cocaine king of Milan" for his involvement in shipping the drug from South America to Italy.

The 'Ndrangheta controls much of the world's cocaine trade and police say Morabito was behind the smuggling of hundreds of kilos of cocaine from Brazil to Italy.

South American hideaway

Morabito is believed to have arrived in Uruguay in 2002.

Police arrested Morabito in a hotel in the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo. But officials said he had settled in the resort of Punta del Este with false Brazilian identity papers in the name of Francisco Capeletto.

Image copyright Uruguayan Interior Ministry Image caption Rocco Morabito lived in a villa in the resort of Punta del Este

Image copyright Uruguayan Interior Ministry Image caption He is believed to have settled there more than 10 years ago

A police search of his properties revealed a 9mm gun, 13 mobile phones and 150 passport-sized photos of Morabito in different guises.

His wife was also detained.

According to his lawyer, Morabito has been leading "a normal life" since 1994 and has not engaged in any criminal activities since then.

He is currently being held in Uruguay for falsifying documents but is expected to be extradited to Italy in the coming months.

Last year, police in Italy found a 'Ndrangheta mafia boss who had been on the run for 18 years hidden in a bunker in the mountains of Calabria.</s>Rocco Morabito: Fugitive Italian 'cocaine king' arrested in Uruguay after 23 years on the run

One of Italy's most wanted mob bosses has been arrested in Uruguay after 23 years on the run from convictions for mafia association, drug trafficking, and other serious crimes, the interior ministries of both countries said.

Rocco Morabito was considered the most wanted fugitive member of the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta, Italy's most powerful organised crime group and one of Europe's biggest importers of South American cocaine.

The 50-year-old was arrested in Montevideo after Uruguayan police and Italian authorities worked together to determine his real identity, the Italian ministry said in a statement.

Dubbed the "cocaine king of Milan," Morabito had been wanted since 1994 after he was caught paying 13 billion lire ($10 million) to import almost a tonne of the drug, Corriere della Sera newspaper reported.

Morabito entered Uruguay in 2001, and took up residence with his wife in the coastal resort city of Punta del Este, the Uruguayan interior ministry said in a statement. He was living there under the false identity of Francisco Antonio Capeletto Souza, of Rio de Janeiro.

He was jailed in Uruguay for using false documents while Italy's request for extradition is processed, the statement said, adding that $US50,000 ($62,000) in cash was found at his home along with 13 mobile phones.

An international arrest warrant was issued in 1995 with the aim of tracking down Morabito and extraditing him to Italy, where he has been sentenced to 30 years in jail.

The arrest ticks one member off the Italian Interior Ministry's five-strong list of the country's most-wanted organised criminals, on which Morabito had rubbed shoulders with feared Sicilian boss Matteo Messina Denaro.</s>Aerial view of the villa where Italian mafia fugitive Rocco Morabito lived in the resort town of Punta del Este, Uruguay, Monday, Sept. 4, 2017. Morabito, a top crime syndicate boss on the run from Italy since 1994, was arrested Sunday, Sep. 3, in Uruguay, where he was living under an alias and using a false Brazilian passport, authorities said Monday. (AP Photo/Marcelo Umpierrez)

Aerial view of the villa where Italian mafia fugitive Rocco Morabito lived in the resort town of Punta del Este, Uruguay, Monday, Sept. 4, 2017. Morabito, a top crime syndicate boss on the run from Italy since 1994, was arrested Sunday, Sep. 3, in Uruguay, where he was living under an alias and using a false Brazilian passport, authorities said Monday. (AP Photo/Marcelo Umpierrez)

View of the entrance the villa named "salve" where Italian mafia fugitive Rocco Morabito lived in the resort town of Punta del Este, Uruguay, Monday, Sept. 4, 2017. Morabito, a top crime syndicate boss on the run from Italy since 1994, was arrested Sunday, Sep. 3, in Uruguay, where he was living under an alias and using a false Brazilian passport, authorities said Monday. (AP Photo/Marcelo Umpierrez)

View of the villa where Italian mafia fugitive Rocco Morabito lived in the resort town of Punta del Este, Uruguay, Monday, Sept. 4, 2017. Morabito, a top crime syndicate boss on the run from Italy since 1994, was arrested Sunday, Sep. 3, in Uruguay, where he was living under an alias and using a false Brazilian passport, authorities said Monday. (AP Photo/Marcelo Umpierrez)

This photo released by Uruguay's Interior Ministry on Monday, Sept. 4, 2017 shows a swimming pool in the backyard of the villa where Italian mafia fugitive Rocco Morabito lived in the luxury resort town of Punta del Este, Uruguay. Morabito, a top crime syndicate boss on the run from Italy since 1994, was arrested on Sunday, Sept. 3 in Uruguay where he was living under an alias and using a false Brazilian passport, authorities said Monday. (Uruguay Interior Ministry via AP)

In this photo released by Uruguay's Interior Ministry on Monday, Sept. 4, 2017, a luxury Mercedes coupe is parked in the villa where Italian mafia fugitive Rocco Morabito lived in the resort town of Punta del Este, Uruguay. Morabito, a top crime syndicate boss on the run from Italy since 1994, was arrested on Sunday, Sept. 3 in Uruguay, where he was living under an alias and using a false Brazilian passport, authorities said Monday. (Uruguay Interior Ministry via AP)

This undated photo released by Italian Carabinieri shows a man identified as longtime fugitive Rocco Morabito prior to being arrested in a Montevideo, Uruguay. Italian authorities say a top 'ndrangheta crime syndicate boss, on the run since 1994, has been arrested in Uruguay where he had been living under a false name and with a forged Brazilian passport. Reggio Calabria Chief Prosecutor Federico Cafiero de Raho said Monday longtime fugitive Rocco Morabito played a big role in cocaine trafficking between South America and Milan, a distribution point for the drug to be sold elsewhere. The Calabria-based 'ndrangheta is one of the world's biggest cocaine traffickers. (Carabinieri via AP)

In this photo taken on Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, a man identified by Italian Police as longtime fugitive Rocco Morabito looks down after being arrested in a Montevideo hotel, Uruguay. Italian authorities say a top 'ndrangheta crime syndicate boss, on the run since 1994, has been arrested in Uruguay where he had been living under a false name and with a forged Brazilian passport. Reggio Calabria Chief Prosecutor Federico Cafiero de Raho said Monday longtime fugitive Rocco Morabito played a big role in cocaine trafficking between South America and Milan, a distribution point for the drug to be sold elsewhere. The Calabria-based 'ndrangheta is one of the world's biggest cocaine traffickers. (Italian Police via AP)

ROME — A top crime syndicate boss convicted of drug trafficking and on the run from Italy since 1994 has been arrested in Uruguay, where he was living in a luxury villa in a seaside resort town under an alias and using a false Brazilian passport, authorities said Monday.

Reggio Calabria Chief Prosecutor Federico Cafiero de Raho said Rocco Morabito played a big role in cocaine trafficking between South America and Milan, a distribution point for the drug to be sold elsewhere. Morabito was described as a key figure in the Calabria-based ‘ndrangheta mob, one of the world’s biggest cocaine traffickers.

Interior Minister Marco Minniti said Morabito has been convicted of mafia association and drug trafficking.

Morabito must serve 30 years in Italian prison. Italian state radio said Morabito, 51, was arrested Sunday in a Montevideo hotel, but lived in a villa with its own swimming pool in Punta del Este.

Police in Uruguay said they confiscated a 9 mm gun, 13 cellphones and $54,000 (about 45,000 euros) in cash from his villa. Also confiscated was a luxury Mercedes coupe.

Media reports said that until a few months ago, investigators had concentrated their manhunt in Brazil. But one of his children was recently registered for school in Uruguay with Morabito’s real name instead of an alias, shifting the focus of the hunt for him to that country, Italian news reports said.

Police in Uruguay said Morabito has a wife there, who was briefly detained, and who has a Portuguese passport stating Angola as her birthplace.

Prosecutors have said the ‘ndrangheta tries to ensure its cocaine deals with drug cartels are carried out to its satisfaction by having its own top bosses live in South American so they can be closer to the producers.

Associated Press writer Victor Caivano contributed to this report from Buenos Aires.</s>One of Italy's most wanted mob bosses was arrested in Uruguay on Monday after 23 years on the run from convictions for mafia association, drug trafficking and other serious crimes.

Rocco Morabito was considered the most wanted fugitive member of the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta, Italy's most powerful organised crime group and one of Europe's biggest importers of South American cocaine.

The 50-year-old was arrested on Monday at a hotel in Montevideo after Uruguayan police and Italian authorities worked together to determine his real identity, the Italian ministry said in a statement.

Italian media said he had been living in a luxury villa in Punta del Este, a resort town, with his Uruguayan wife.

They reported that until a few months ago, investigators had concentrated their manhunt in Brazil.

But one of his children was recently registered for school in Uruguay with Morabito's real name instead of an alias, shifting the focus of the hunt for him to that country.

Dubbed the 'cocaine king of Milan,' Morabito had been wanted since 1994 after he was caught paying 13 billion lire ($8 million) to import almost a tonne of the drug, Corriere della Sera newspaper reported.

Morabito entered Uruguay in 2001, and took up residence with his wife in Punta del Este, the Uruguayan interior ministry said in a statement.

He was living there under the false identity of Francisco Antonio Capeletto Souza, of Rio de Janeiro, it added.

Morabito was jailed in Uruguay for using false documents while Italy's request for extradition is processed, the statement said, adding that $50,000 in cash was found at his home along with 13 cell phones.

An international arrest warrant was issued in 1995 with the aim of tracking down Morabito and extraditing him to Italy, where he has been sentenced to 30 years in jail.

The arrest ticks one member off the Italian interior ministry's five-strong list of the country's most-wanted organised criminals, on which Morabito had rubbed shoulders with feared Sicilian boss Matteo Messina Denaro.</s>Top 'ndrangheta crime syndicate boss Rocco Morabito, who has been on the run from Italy since 1994, has been arrested in Uruguay where he had been living under a false name with a forged Brazilian passport.

Reggio Calabria chief prosecutor Federico Cafiero de Raho said Morabito had played a big role in cocaine trafficking between South America and Milan, a distribution point for the drug to be sold elsewhere.

The Calabria-based 'ndrangheta is one of the world's biggest cocaine traffickers.

Italian interior minister Marco Minniti said Morabito has been convicted of mafia association and drug trafficking.

Italian state radio said Morabito was arrested on Sunday in a Montevideo hotel, but had been living in a villa in Punta del Este, a resort town.</s>This undated photo released by Italian Carabinieri shows a man identified as longtime fugitive Rocco Morabito prior to being arrested in a Montevideo, Uruguay. Italian authorities say a top 'ndrangheta crime syndicate boss, on the run since 1994, has been arrested in Uruguay where he had been living under a false name and with a forged Brazilian passport. Reggio Calabria Chief Prosecutor Federico Cafiero de Raho said Monday longtime fugitive Rocco Morabito played a big role in cocaine trafficking between South America and Milan, a distribution point for the drug to be sold elsewhere. The Calabria-based 'ndrangheta is one of the world's biggest cocaine traffickers. (Carabinieri via AP)

ROME (AP) — A top crime syndicate boss convicted of drug trafficking and on the run from Italy since 1994 has been arrested in Uruguay, where he was living in a luxury villa in a seaside resort town under an alias and using a false Brazilian passport, authorities said Monday.

Reggio Calabria Chief Prosecutor Federico Cafiero de Raho said Rocco Morabito played a big role in cocaine trafficking between South America and Milan, a distribution point for the drug to be sold elsewhere. Morabito was described as a key figure in the Calabria-based 'ndrangheta mob, one of the world's biggest cocaine traffickers.

Interior Minister Marco Minniti said Morabito has been convicted of mafia association and drug trafficking.

Morabito must serve 30 years in Italian prison. Italian state radio said Morabito, 51, was arrested Sunday in a Montevideo hotel, but lived in a villa with its own swimming pool in Punta del Este.

Police in Uruguay said they confiscated a 9 mm gun, 13 cell phones and $54,000 (about 45,000 euros) in cash from his villa. Also confiscated was a luxury Mercedes coupe.

Media reports said that until a few months ago, investigators had concentrated their manhunt in Brazil. But one of his children was recently registered for school in Uruguay with Morabito's real name instead of an alias, shifting the focus of the hunt for him to that country, Italian news reports said.

Police in Uruguay said Morabito has a wife there, who was briefly detained, and who has a Portuguese passport stating Angola as her birthplace.

Prosecutors have said the 'ndrangheta tries to ensure its cocaine deals with drug cartels are carried out to its satisfaction by having its own top bosses live in South American so they can be closer to the producers.

Associated Press writer Victor Caivano contributed to this report from Buenos Aires.</s>ROME — A top crime syndicate boss on the run from Italy since 1994 has been arrested in Uruguay, where he was living under an alias and using a false Brazilian passport, authorities said Monday.

Reggio Calabria Chief Prosecutor Federico Cafiero de Raho said Rocco Morabito played a big role in cocaine trafficking between South America and Milan, a distribution point for the drug to be sold elsewhere. Morabito was described as a key figure in the Calabria-based 'ndrangheta mob, one of the world's biggest cocaine traffickers.

Interior Minister Marco Minniti said Morabito has been convicted of mafia association and drug trafficking.

Morabito must serve 30 years in Italian prison. Italian state radio said Morabito, 51, was arrested Sunday in a Montevideo hotel, but had been living in a villa in Punta del Este, a resort town.

Media reports said that until a few months ago, investigators had concentrated their manhunt in Brazil. But one of his children was recently registered for school in Uruguay with Morabito's real name instead of an alias, shifting the focus of the hunt for him to that country, Italian news reports said.

Prosecutors have said the 'ndrangheta tries to ensure its cocaine deals live up to their agreements with drug cartels by having top bosses live in South American so they can be closer to the drug's producers.

This undated photo released by Italian Carabinieri shows a man identified as longtime fugitive Rocco Morabito prior to being arrested in a Montevideo, Uruguay. Italian authorities say a top 'ndrangheta crime syndicate boss, on the run since 1994, has been arrested in Uruguay where he had been living under a false name and with a forged Brazilian passport. Reggio Calabria Chief Prosecutor Federico Cafiero de Raho said Monday longtime fugitive Rocco Morabito played a big role in cocaine trafficking between South America and Milan, a distribution point for the drug to be sold elsewhere. The Calabria-based 'ndrangheta is one of the world's biggest cocaine traffickers.

Italian news reports said Morabito was married to a Uruguayan woman.</s>Police in Uruguay have arrested one of Italy's most wanted fugitives — the so-called "cocaine king of Milan"— who had been hiding out in the South American country for more than a decade.

Rocco Morabito, a boss of the Calabria-based Ndrangheta crime group, which controls much of the world's cocaine trade, had been on the run for 23 years in total, the Guardian reports . He is subject to a 30-year prison sentence in Italy after attempting to smuggle almost a tonne of cocaine into the country from Brazil in the 1990s.

Morabito's arrest at a luxury Montevideo hotel on Monday follows a six-month investigation by Uruguayan police, who were reportedly alerted to his presence when he registered his daughter at a local school using his real name instead of an alias.

Italian and Uruguayan authorities cited by the Guardian said that Morabito, 50, had long been living in Uruguay's southern coastal resort of Punta del Esta under an assumed identity. He is thought to have arrived in Uruguay in 2002.

Morabito was one of the Italian interior ministry’s top five most wanted organized crime bosses on a list that also includes Sicilian mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro. His lawyer reportedly told Italian media that the mafia boss had quit crime since arriving in Uruguay and been leading “a normal life.”</s>One of Italy's most wanted fugitives has been arrested in Uruguay after 23 years on the run from convictions for mafia association and drug trafficking.

Rocco Morabito of the 'Ndrangheta organised crime gang was detained in the resort of Punta del Este.

Uruguayan police said he had been living there for more than 10 years under a false identity.

He was nicknamed "cocaine king of Milan" for his involvement in shipping the drug from South America to Italy.

The 'Ndrangheta controls much of the world's cocaine trade and police say Morabito was behind the smuggling of hundreds of kilos of cocaine from Brazil to Italy.

Morabito is believed to have arrived in Uruguay in 2002.

Police arrested Morabito in a hotel in the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo. But officials said he had settled in the resort of Punta del Este with false Brazilian identity papers in the name of Francisco Capeletto.

A police search of his properties revealed a 9mm gun, 13 mobile phones and 150 passport-sized photos of Morabito in different guises.

His wife was also detained.

According to his lawyer, Morabito has been leading "a normal life" since 1994 and has not engaged in any criminal activities since then.

He is currently being held in Uruguay for falsifying documents but is expected to be extradited to Italy in the coming months.

Last year, police in Italy found a 'Ndrangheta mafia boss who had been on the run for 18 years hidden in a bunker in the mountains of Calabria.</s>ROME: One of Italy's most wanted mob bosses has been arrested in Uruguay after 23 years on the run from convictions for mafia association, drug trafficking and other serious crimes, the Italian Interior Ministry said on Monday.

Rocco Morabito was considered the most wanted fugitive member of the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta, Italy's most powerful organised crime group and one of Europe's biggest importers of South American cocaine.

The 50-year-old was arrested in the coastal resort city of Punta del Este after Uruguayan police and Italian authorities worked together to determine his real identity, the ministry said in a statement.

Dubbed the "cocaine king of Milan", Morabito had been wanted since 1994 after he was rumbled paying 13 billion lire (£6.1 million) to import almost a tonne of the drug, Corriere della Sera newspaper reported.

An international arrest warrant was issued in 1995 with the aim of tracking down Morabito and extraditing him to Italy, where he has been sentenced to 30 years in jail.

The arrest ticks one member off the Italian interior ministry's five-strong list of the country's most-wanted organised criminals, on which Morabito had rubbed shoulders with feared Sicilian boss Matteo Messina Denaro.
Italian fugitive and 'Ndrangheta member Rocco Morabito is arrested in Montevideo, Uruguay, after 23 years on the run. He is now expected to be extradited to Italy in the coming months.