After evading capture for nearly three years, international drug trafficker Luigi Belvedere was finally arrested in Medellin, Colombia—just days after visiting the grave of his idol, Pablo Escobar.

Belvedere, who had been on the run since December 2020 and was sentenced to nearly 19 years for his role as a middleman between Colombian cartels and the Naples mafia, now faces a reckoning that many would argue was long overdue. His arrest, aided by a collaboration between local authorities and Europol, highlights a growing trend of fugitives being snatched off the streets of Colombia, often in locations that are more likely to be a tourist attraction for criminals than a hideout.

The photo released by Italian police shows Belvedere at Escobar's grave, a choice that many might interpret as an unorthodox vacation strategy. It’s unclear whether he was there to pay respects or seeking some kind of subversive inspiration from a notorious figure known for his not-so-affectionate relationship with law enforcement. One cannot help but wonder what the tour guide was like for this particular excursion.

Belvedere, who has been described as specializing in the illegal importation of cocaine, apparently thought a pilgrimage to the grave of a drug kingpin was low-key enough to go unnoticed. Perhaps he mistook the site for a shrine dedicated to a 'me too' movement within the drug world. The whole scenario raises questions about the wisdom of visiting the grave of a man who, let’s be honest, wasn’t exactly celebrated for his subtlety or knack for stealth.

The Casalesi clan, the notorious branch of the Camorra mafia tied to Belvedere, likely had higher expectations of their operatives. In the hierarchy of mobsters, attending cemetery visits and making Instagram posts might not earn one particularly butterfly stickers. One can only imagine the sort of family discussions that must occur when someone’s vacation retires to a graveyard.

His more than 18 years in a comfortable concrete box awaits him, unless of course, he manages to think of a good excuse that doesn’t involve an obsession with grave markers. He’ll soon find out that the leisurely pace of a graveyard may not hold a candle to the regimented lifestyle of an Italian prison, where he'd likely have a much less varied selection of activities.

Investigators, having located Belvedere with the help of Colombian authorities and the EU police agency Europol, were presumably either supplementing their background checks with a Google image search, or they really stepped up their game post-pandemic. The return of fugitives, seemingly hell-bent on turning the often ironic landscape of drug-related criminality into their own personal travelogue, certainly makes for an entertaining news cycle.

Belvedere's arrest reflects a larger trend observed by law enforcement agencies worldwide: a pattern in which those deeply entwined in drug trafficking often choose the most picturesque and sun-soaked locales for their getaways. Ironically, it appears that the only thing more common than drug traffickers in Colombia is their eventual apprehension. It’s almost as if they simply can’t resist the allure of vacationing in the very place they once operated.

In conclusion, while Belvedere believed he was living large by linking Columbian cartels with Calabria's own Naples mafia, he might soon find himself teaching a masterclass in how not to evade law enforcement. In a final twist of irony, it seems that his quest for adventure may end with him exchanging beachfront resorts for prison cells. But not before leaving his mark as the tourist who just couldn't help but pay tribute to his infamous predecessor—a trip that surely no one will ever forget.

If nothing else, this debacle serves as a gentle reminder: if you're running from the law, a graveyard may not be the best choice for your holiday itinerary—especially if you're hoping to elude the authorities while spreading some notorious street cred. For everyone else, Colombia remains a stunning travel destination, just with fewer mafiosos roaming the streets—or at least they should be.