Australia’s mafia figures attend Adelaide funeral of Carmelo Loprete – believed to be linked to country’s largest cocaine shipments
Carmelo Loprete, a mechanic previously embroiled in with the Calabrian Mafia to import one of Australia’s largest cocaine shipments, has been farewelled in Adelaide today.
Police & Courts
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Australia’s underworld identities descended on Adelaide on Wednesday following the death of an Italian-born businessman – who was previously accused of attempting to import one of country’s largest cocaine shipments.
Carmelo Loprete, 66, died at the end of October following a cancer battle.
A few hundred men and women, dressed in black formal wear, trickled into Peter Elberg Funeral Home’s Walter Loxton Chapel, Flinders Park, on Wednesday to pay their respects to Mr Loprete.
The funeral liturgy started at 11am and lasted about an hour – with those who loved and respected the man staying back near the chapel’s exit, exchanging hugs and a few words.
Meanwhile, Mr Loprete’s coffin was carried into a silver hearse that sported the Australian and Italian flags on its front.
At least seven cars with grieving family and friends followed the hearse as they prepared to say their final goodbyes.
Tributes were paid under the watchful eye of the authorities as SA Police and the Australian Federal Police stationed themselves opposite the venue – observing the proceedings, as well as capturing the event on camera.
Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said earlier that he had not been briefed on any concerns regarding Mr Loprete’s funeral.
“I haven’t had a specific update on our policing response to that and I have no concerns that have been brought to my attention,” he said.
“So we will let things transpire as they do.”
Mr Loprete became widely known after he conspired with the Calabrian Mafia with three Victorian men in an attempt to smuggle half-a-tonne of cocaine – with an estimated street value of up to $50m – into Melbourne between the years 2002 and 2004.
Authorities alleged the gang plotted to smuggle drugs – never recovered – from South America via Italy to Victoria before being also distributed in Adelaide and Sydney.
His accomplices Nicola Ciconte, 54, Michael Calleja, 51, both from Melbourne, Vincenzo Medici, 45, of Mildura, were tried as “fugitives” in 2010 after a failed attempt by the Italian Government to extradite them from Australia.
The Victorian men were later jailed for between 15 and 25 years after being found guilty in their absence.
The prosecutions of the four men emerged during a global, four-year investigation codenamed Operation Decollo into Mafia drug-smuggling network which used building materials such as slabs of marble, plastic tubes and vegetable cans.
There were about 150 mafia members – most from Italian based syndicates – arrested.
Meanwhile, 18 Australian properties were raided, including six in Adelaide but there were no local arrests.
Mr Loprete’s family are not accused of any wrongdoing.
Mr Loprete’s death notice on Saturday last week says he “will always be remembered by all his family and friends in Australia and Italy” and now is “in God’s care”.
Mr Loprete operated Carmelo Auto Repairs, on Grange Road, Beverley, for more than 20 years until he fell ill.
He specialised in luxury automobiles including European Ferrari and Porsche, as well as American Cadillacs.
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