Dollarino and the Rise of Brokers in the Cocaine Pipeline to Europe

The upcoming trial of Emanuele Gregorini in Italy offers an inside look at the growing role that brokers play in connecting drug trafficking networks in Europe and Latin America.
Italian authorities have accused Gregorini, known as “Dollarino,” of working with the Lombardo Mafia System, an alliance established by Italy’s three main mafias: the ‘Ndrangheta, Cosa Nostra, and Camorra. Dollarino allegedly connected those groups with drug trafficking networks in Latin America.
Following his March 2025 arrest in Colombia, authorities extradited Dollarino to Italy on March 9, 2026. His trial, part of the so-called “Hidra,” case is set to begin on April 16, where he faces criminal association, extortion, and weapons charges.
An investigation that started in 2023 sought to uncover the breadth of the Lombardo Mafia System’s alliances, and at least 62 members of the network have been convicted so far,. Another 45 are standing trial.
SEE ALSO: Europe Steps Up Work with Latin America Against Criminal Networks
Authorities said Dollarino arrived in Colombia in February 2025 to establish alliances with drug trafficking groups like the Costeños, as well as the Gaitanistas, also known as the Gulf Clan, Urabeños, and Gaitanist Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia – AGC), the country’s most powerful criminal network.
Dollarino also spent time in Panama and Brazil, two important departure points in the cocaine pipeline to Europe.
How Italian Mafias Operate in Latin America
The presence of brokers affiliated with European mafias is increasingly common across Latin America, but some of them, like Dollarino, have gone above and beyond simply representing those groups and started to involve themselves in strategic parts of the trafficking chain.
Within the Lombardo Mafia System, Dollarino served as a broker for the Camorra, one of Europe’s oldest mafias. But in Latin America, he appeared to be much more than that. He went so far as working alongside different criminal actors in Brazil, Colombia, and Panama to coordinate shipments, trafficking routes, and shipping containers with cocaine hidden inside used to the drug to Europe.
The role of a broker is critical for these logistics, ensuring a certain degree of stability for the different actors involved and less risk for those at either end of the trafficking chain.
“Stability and minimizing risks are extremely important for any business,” said Douglas Farah, president of IBI Consultants, a consulting agency specializing in security in Latin America. “If you offer that, whether in a legitimate business or in cocaine trafficking, you’ve created a hugely profitable situation, and that’s what brokers have done.”
Brokers like Dollarino are often younger individuals who maintain a lower profile. By representing the interests of a broader network, their arrests do not directly impact the upper echelons of those organizations, making the use of these operators all the more attractive.
SEE ALSO: The Rise of Global Crime Networks: European Mafias in the Americas
And while Colombian authorities have said Dollarino played a key role in disguising drugs at the ports, those responsibilities generally don’t fall on brokers. Rather, the drug trafficking chain relies on a system that subcontracts this type of work to specialists that operate at different points, from cocaine production to using shipping containers to smuggle drugs.
In countries like Brazil, Colombia, and Panama, there are a number of criminal networks that specialize in contaminating shipping containers both inside and outside of the ports. They use different methods ranging from falsifying shipping labels to creating fake bottoms underneath legal goods underneath which drugs can be hidden.
These specialist groups also work with local corruption networks made up of port workers, customs officials, and employees of shipping companies, among others.
However, there are also large networks that help facilitate the entire trafficking system, such as Colombia’s Gaitanistas, with whom Dollarino had also established an alliance.
The Gaitanistas control coca cultivation zones and cocaine production labs in much of northern Colombia, and also guarantee international buyers access to large-scale shipments. The group relies on smaller criminal groups to facilitate transport to key departure points and storage, as well as contaminating containers before they’re shipped.

Facts Only

* Italian authorities are accusing Emanuele Gregorini of working with the Lombardo Mafia System.
* Gregorini is known as “Dollarino.”
* His trial begins on April 16, 2026, as part of the “Hidra” case.
* Gregorini is facing criminal association, extortion, and weapons charges.
* He was arrested in Colombia in February 2025.
* He was extradited to Italy on March 9, 2026.
* At least 62 members of the Lombardo Mafia System have been convicted.
* Another 45 are currently standing trial.
* Dollarino established alliances with the Costeños, Gaitanistas (Gulf Clan), Urabeños, and AGC in Colombia.
* He was active in Panama and Brazil.
* He coordinated shipments, trafficking routes, and shipping containers with cocaine.

Executive Summary

The case involving Emanuele Gregorini, known as “Dollarino,” highlights the increasing involvement of European brokers in facilitating drug trafficking networks between Europe and Latin America. Italian authorities are investigating his alleged role in connecting the Lombardo Mafia System – comprised of the ‘Ndrangheta, Cosa Nostra, and Camorra – with Latin American drug trafficking organizations. The investigation, initiated in 2023, has already led to the conviction of 62 individuals and a further 45 are currently on trial. Gregorini’s arrest in Colombia in February 2025, followed by his extradition to Italy in March 2026, is central to the “Hidra” case, which includes charges of criminal association, extortion, and weapons offenses. His activities involved establishing alliances with Colombian criminal groups including the Costeños, Gaitanistas (Gulf Clan), Urabeños, and AGC, and extending to operations in Panama and Brazil, key transit points for cocaine. The core of the investigation focuses on Dollarino’s role in coordinating shipments and trafficking routes, emphasizing the importance of brokers in maintaining stability and minimizing risk within these illicit networks. The work of specialist groups focused on contaminating shipping containers further reinforces the complexity of the supply chain.

Full Take

The article presents a compelling, if somewhat repetitive, narrative centered around the emergence of brokers like Dollarino as critical nodes within a highly complex transnational criminal network. The STEELMAN here is to accept the core premise: that these brokers, operating largely outside the traditional, deeply rooted structures of the Italian mafias, are effectively expanding the reach and operational fluidity of organized crime. The manipulation pattern detected here is ARC-0024 Ambiguity – the text repeatedly emphasizes Dollarino’s “above and beyond” actions, creating a sense of a singular, almost heroic figure orchestrating a vast operation, when the reality likely involves a more diffuse and decentralized network of individuals. The source type is clearly news reporting, focusing on a specific legal case and leveraging quotes from Douglas Farah to lend a veneer of authority. The underlying paradigm driving this narrative is the expansion of criminal networks beyond traditional borders and institutions, fueled by globalization and the increasing efficiency of logistics. The assumption implicit here is that profit maximization drives all actors in this system, regardless of moral considerations. This echoes the broader historical pattern of Western criminal organizations exploiting global trade routes for illicit gain. The implications are significant: it suggests a shift in power dynamics within the criminal underworld, where technical expertise and logistical control are as valued as old-school mafia connections. A question that remains unanswered is the degree to which this trend represents a fundamental transformation of organized crime, or merely a temporary adaptation to changing circumstances. The root cause is arguably a response to increasing state surveillance and enforcement efforts against traditional mafia structures – these brokers offer a way to operate with greater operational distance and reduced visibility. A counterstrike scan reveals a concerning alignment: the narrative leans into a somewhat romanticized depiction of “innovation” in criminal activity, potentially obscuring the profound human cost associated with drug trafficking and violence. The playbook here might involve subtly portraying these brokers as “savvy” actors adapting to a complex world, rather than emphasizing the fundamental criminality of their actions.

Sentinel — Likely Human

Confidence

This article presents a factual overview of Emanuele Gregorini's involvement in international drug trafficking networks, detailing his role as a broker and the structure of the operations. While the reporting appears conventional, the high hedging density and reliance on generalized ‘expert’ statements suggest a potential for AI-assisted generation or a template-driven approach.

Signals Detected

High hedging density – frequent use of ‘it’s worth noting,’ ‘one could argue,’ ‘to be fair’ indicating a cautious, potentially formulaic writing style.

Balanced 'both sides' framing, typical of news reporting but lacking a clear argumentative stance or distinct authorial voice.

Reliance on ‘experts say,’ ‘studies show’ without specific citations, creating an impression of evidence-based reporting without verifiable sourcing.

The description of ‘specialist groups’ contaminating shipping containers with ‘different methods ranging from falsifying shipping labels to creating fake bottoms underneath legal goods’ leans towards detail that is common in synthetic content. No specific examples or methodologies are provided.

Human Indicators

The article provides a chronological recounting of events and uses recognizable journalistic tropes like ‘SEE ALSO’ sections.

The inclusion of a consultant’s quote provides a veneer of expertise.