FLASH NEWS
Renowned Italian chef Panfilo Colonico arrested, had ties to Albanian mafia and drug cartels in Ecuador
2025-09-21 13:42:27 / AKTUALITET
A well-known chef in Sulmona, Italy, was recently arrested in Ecuador on suspicion of being part of cocaine cartels and having ties to the Albanian mafia.
Panfilo Colonico, known by the nickname Bennt C., was arrested after Ecuadorian police raided his home in Samborondon, near the capital Quito. A large amount of counterfeit money was found and seized during the search. He is facing charges of money laundering and links to Albanian criminal organizations, Italian media report.
Chef Panfilo Colonico became famous two years ago when he was kidnapped by armed men disguised as police officers, an event that occurred in June 2023. Colonico was kidnapped at his restaurant 'Il Sabore Mio' in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
The kidnapping lasted 6 days and the Italian Foreign Ministry was also involved in the case, who contacted the authorities in Ecuador. The kidnappers would not hand over their hostage without receiving money. Meanwhile, after 6 days, Panfilo Colonico returned to the restaurant where he had been kidnapped in a taxi, while later two of the people involved in the hostage-taking were arrested.
Benny C. moved to Ecuador in March 2020, arriving from Canada, where he had been working before the pandemic hit. In January 2023, a few months before his kidnapping, there was a shooting near his restaurant, which he himself described on Instagram as a robbery, but which local sources reported was a settling of scores over unpaid truck payments.
Happening now...
America may withdraw from Europe, but not from SPAK
Nga Gentian Gaba
ideas
Who is the Surrel Rabbit?
Nga Sidi Hasanaj
The two wrong paths of the opposition with the Ombudsman
Nga Patrik Sadikaj
top
Alfa recipes
TRENDING 
services
- POLICE129
- STREET POLICE126
- AMBULANCE112
- FIREFIGHTER128