Two to three Russians have been arrested in Uruguay on suspicion of aiding the escape of a notorious Italian mob boss in the South American country, according to media reports.
Rocco Morabito, dubbed the “cocaine king of Milan,” escaped from a Montevideo jail last month as he was waiting to be extradited back to Italy after two years of imprisonment. Morabito, 52, had been the most wanted fugitive member of the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta, Italy's most powerful organized crime group and one of Europe's biggest importers of South American cocaine.
Authorities in Uruguay and Interpol detained three foreign nationals on suspicion of aiding and abetting Morabito’s escape, the Montevideo Portal and Ecos news websites reported Wednesday.
The Russian Embassy in Montevideo told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency on Thursday that three unnamed Russian nationals had been detained in Uruguay.
“We don’t know why they were detained,” embassy spokeswoman Vasilisa Fofanova said.
Morabito was not found in the reported raid on a pizza shop in Montevideo’s Solano Garcia district and remains at large.
Other local outlets said two Russians and one Italian had been arrested in connection with Morabito’s escape.
Reuters contributed reporting to this article.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
