Brazilian police on Sept. 18 arrested a man accused as a leader of the notorious First Capital Command[14] drug gang, who was named as a top contact in South America of southern Italy's 'Ndrangheta[15] crime network. Andre de Oliveira Macedo AKA "Andre do Rap," detained in Sao Paolo in an operation that included US DEA agents, is said to have overseen massive cocaine exports to Europe via Italy's southern region of Calabria. (Gazzetta del Sud[16], Calabria, Sept. 18) In July, police arrested two Italian nationals at a luxury seaside apartment in Sao Paulo state, who were also said to be 'Ndrangheta operatives. Nicola Assisi and his son were held in an undisclosed location to await extradition to Italy. A month earlier, accused top 'Ndrangheta figure Rocco Morabito[17] escaped from a prison in Uruguay—angering Rome, which had been awaiting his extradition. (The Local[18], Italy, July 9)
The 'Ndrangheta is now thought to traffic much of Europe's cocaine trade through Calabria, using Bitcoin to launder payments. Last December, 90 supposed operatives of the network were arrested in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Colombia. Italy's press warned of the emergence of a "global 'Ndrangheta." (Gazzetta del Sud[19], Dec. 5, 2018)