The failure of the Ebola initiative appeared to have no affect on Toriello’s standing with the São Toméan government, and both he and his assistant continued in their diplomatic roles. But in late August last year, Manuel Pinto da Costa, the sitting president, lost the São Tomé and Príncipe election and left office. As is the custom, his diplomats and cabinet ministers departed with him.

Around this time, the Italian police probe began an investigation into Toriello's connections to the Mob and their potential involvement in criminal activities, such as trying to use a diplomatic cover to smuggle cocaine. Transcripts of police wiretaps of conversations between Lauritano and Toriello paint a picture of the duo as smugglers who were well connected, but incompetent.

One of their conversations, which allegedly took place in November, months after Toriello is supposed to have left his post, is cocaine. Specifically, the transport of up to 120 kilos from Ecuador to Europe in league with the Camorra. According to the files, on 17 November, Lauritano travels to Ecuador for a five-day trip to set up the deal, staying first in the country’s capital, Quito, and then the small, southern town of Santa Rosa. At this stage, Toriello stays away.

The plan, worked out between Toriello and the Camorra brokers, is to hide between 70 and 120 kilos of coke in his ‘diplomatic suitcases’. This is luggage, designed and adapted with sheets of lead to hide the illicit contents, will allow Toriello to waltz the wares through customs and bypass the security gates, flashing his ‘diplomatic immunity’ as proof he is untouchable.

The deal soon begins to crumble. The Camorra buyers no longer want to commit to such a heavy load. Instead, they ask for 30 kilos, and agree to pay €500,000. The Colombians are unhappy, but agree to the deal: the cocaine will be delivered by the 27 November, they say.

On Monday, the 21st, Lauritano flies home to Italy and waits. He complains to 44-year old Cristian Neri, a drug broker for the Camorra and one of the architects of the plan, that they “must give me [the] 500,000 Euro” fee originally agreed, regardless of the shipment size.

For over a week the cocaine sits in an apartment in Quito, waiting for Toriello to come to Ecuador and collect it. Now, the Camorra are not happy - and Neri begins to threaten Lauritano.

Ten days later, on 7 December, Lauritano and Toriello discuss the deal. Instead of half a million, the pair will agree to a €240,000 payment, if Toriello can fly to Ecuador before Christmas and fly the coke out in a smaller “diplomatic briefcase”. But it is not so simple, Toriello complains. His travel is determined by the São Toméan UN mission, and so can’t be scheduled at the time he wants.

In the end, Toriello never makes the trip and the deal falls apart, leaving Lauritano owing €50k to the Camorra.

If Toriello ever really planned to make the trip, the affair raises questions about how he could have smuggles the cocaine using a ‘diplomatic cover’ he supposedly lost months earlier, when he lost his job.

Alcínio Cravid e Silva, the new chief of staff for the São Toméan Foreign Ministry, and main contact for UN diplomatic services, told The Black Sea that he believes Toriello lost his official credentials when he was fired in August last year, when the new president came into power.

The Italian police believe he retained some ambassadorial benefits, but could not provide evidence. Neither e Silva nor the country’s new Foreign Minister, Urbino Botelho, gave an official date of Toriello’s departure, and they could not answer how he and Lauritano remained able to advertise their diplomatic status to the Camorra for international drug deals, which they doing at the time.