Interpol: Italian Mafia Leader Arrested in Colombia

A suspected top member of the Calabrian mafia who was one of Italy's most wanted fugitives has been arrested in Colombia, the international police agency Interpol announced on Friday.

Domenico Trimboli, 58, is suspected of being a leading figure in the 'Ndrangheta criminal network, which is a major player in the international cocaine trafficking business.

Trimboli was arrested in a joint operation by Colombian and Italian police and Italy will request his extradition, Italian media reported.

He will have to serve out a 12-year prison sentence in Italy, the reports said.

Italian Interior Minister Anna Maria Cancellieri thanked the police, saying: "They have managed to bring to justice one of the most dangerous fugitives of the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta".

Trimboli is alleged to be a lynchpin between the Medellin drug cartel and the 'Ndrangheta, which is based in the Calabria region in southern Italy.

Interpol said he was at the center of large-scale trafficking of cocaine and hashish across Italy.