Senior Mafia figures to descend on Adelaide after ‘colourful’ Italian mechanic linked to massive drug smuggling plot dies

Some of Australia’s most notorious Mafia identities are set to descend on Adelaide for the funeral of a “colourful” Italian-born businessman.

Some of Australia’s most notorious Mafia identities are set to descend on Adelaide for the funeral of a “colourful” Italian-born businessman.

Federal and state law enforcement officials are on alert for the underworld influx after “top of the tree” western suburbs mechanic Carmelo Loprete, 66, died last week following a cancer battle.

Mr Loprete, a father-of-one known as Charlie, was accused almost two decades ago of being part of a conspiracy with senior Calabrian Mafia figures to import one of the country’s largest cocaine shipments.

Charges were later dropped.

Senior organised crime figures are expected to attend his funeral in Adelaide’s west later this week after it was delayed to allow overseas and interstate mourners to arrive in South Australia.

Carmelo Loprete, known as Charlie has been described as a “colourful character”. Picture: supplied

Sources said Australian Federal Police officers were “keeping tabs” on Mafia arrivals to Adelaide.

SA Police detectives are also believed to be monitoring city movements.

Mourners, including colourful gangland identities, are understood to be travelling from Italy, Sydney, regional NSW, Melbourne and country Victoria.

“He was pretty close to a lot of people,” a friend said.

He was never convicted of a serious crime despite law enforcement agencies including the National Crime Authority – now the Australian Crime Commission – and AFP pursuing him for years.

“They got close but they never got him,” another friend said.

A joint AFP and Italian police investigation alleged Mr Loprete, from Taurianova, Reggio Calabria, in southern Italy, conspired with three Victorian men to smuggle half-a-tonne of cocaine worth up to $50m into Melbourne between 2002 and 2004.

Nicola Ciconte, 54, Michael Calleja, 51, both of Melbourne, Vincenzo Medici, 45, of Mildura, and Mr Loprete, then in his late-40s, were tried as “fugitives” in 2010 at a Calabria court after a failed attempt to extradite them from Australia.

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.

The Victorian men were later jailed for between 15 and 25 years after being found guilty in their absence.

A Mr Big, Nicola Ciconte, died in 2013 on the run in Cambodia.

Their prosecutions emerged during a global, four-year investigation codenamed Operation Decollo into Mafia drug-smuggling network across four continents using building materials such as slabs of marble, plastic tubes and vegetable cans.

More than 150 members of mostly Italy-based criminals were arrested while 18 Australian properties were raided including six in Adelaide but with no local arrests.

Mr Loprete’s family, who are not accused of any wrongdoing, declined to comment last week.

But in a death notice on Saturday they paid tribute to Calabrian-born Mr Loprete, late of Findon, as “cherished and adored” father who was “lovingly remembered” and now in “God’s care”.

Friends told of a “colourful character” and “incredibly generous” man, who was “supermad” for his family and cars.

He was also a regular diner at the city-based La Trattoria Italian restaurant.

Mr Loprete, whose fortune included several properties, was a “highly skilled” mechanic who operated Carmelo Auto Repairs, on Grange Road, Beverley, for more than 20 years.

Until he fell ill, he operated a “boutique” auto business in Hindmarsh using a legendary car knowledge with luxury European models such as Ferrari, Porsche as well as American Cadillacs.

His early years included work at a high-profile Eastern suburbs luxury car dealership. “He was an absolute whiz,” a friend said.

Spokeswomen for SA Police and the AFP declined to comment.