Italian mafia leader escapes Uruguay prison

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - An Italian mafia leader escaped Uruguayan prison along with three other international criminals, the country's Interior Ministry announced this week.

Known as king of cocaine, Rocco Morabito escaped from the roof of the prison in the capital of Montevideo, where he awaited extradition to Italy since 2017, the ministry said in a statement on Monday.

Interpol was alerted at the highest level, though the whereabouts of Morabito remain unknown.

In September 2017, Morabito was arrested at a hotel in Montevideo after remaining in the country for 23 years on the run.

A resident in Uruguay holding a Brazilian passport under the false identity of Francesco Antonio Capeletto Souza, he was one of the five most dangerous Italian fugitives living in the South America.