In an impressive crackdown, the Italian financial police unearthed a large-scale counterfeiting scheme operating out of the Ponticelli district in Naples, Italy. Since April, an organized criminal network has been producing counterfeit 50-euro banknotes at an alarming rate. The operation was orchestrated from a hall recently converted into a sophisticated printing plant capable of continuous production cycles.
Early morning raids led by the financial police discovered two counterfeiters caught off guard, fast asleep amidst the criminal enterprise. Officials coordinated by the North Naples Public Prosecutor’s Office seized counterfeit currency totaling €48 million and advanced printing equipment.
Investigators uncovered approximately 80,000 sheets, each sheet bearing 12 nearly completed 50-euro notes. The only remaining step was the addition of a vertical silver stripe to complete the counterfeiting process. The operation was meticulously managed by a 70-year-old veteran printer with a history of similar offenses. He directed not only the production but also the logistics, involving three truck drivers from Giugliano in Campania to handle transport.
The criminal network had recently relocated the printing setup from Casavatore to Naples, indicating a strategic shift to facilitate operations. The rented hall, under the guise of an environmental remediation company, had been equipped with heavy-duty printing machinery, living accommodations, and was under constant surveillance.
The swift identification and arrest of the culprits were made possible by extensive surveillance, GPS tracking, and aerial reconnaissance support from the Pratica di Mare Operational Air and Maritime Command and the Naples Operational Air and Maritime Group of the Financial Police. The “Green Berets” of the Naples task force played a crucial role in the operation’s success.
Over the past five years, under the vigilant eye of the North Naples Public Prosecutor’s Office, the financial police have significantly intensified their efforts against counterfeiting. This recent operation marks a substantial victory, with a total of 16 arrests in flagrante delicto, five printing works dismantled, and around 100 million euros in counterfeit money seized.
This bust not only underscores the persistent threat of sophisticated counterfeiting operations in Europe but also highlights the relentless commitment of Italian authorities to uphold financial security and integrity.
