Rome [Italy], August 5 (ANI): Italian authorities have arrested 13 individuals in a sweeping nationwide crackdown on Chinese organised crime networks, dealing what officials described as a “double blow” to criminal enterprises engaged in drug trafficking, labour and sex exploitation, and money laundering, according to The Epoch Times.
The operation, coordinated across 25 provinces including Milan, Rome, Florence, Prato, and Catania, targeted Chinese criminal clans that used mafia-style tactics to assert territorial control and engage in illicit activities. The crackdown was jointly announced by the Interior Ministry and anti-organised crime officials.
“In one aspect, the State Police executed a ‘high-impact’ operation across 24 Italian provinces aimed at rooting out Chinese criminal factions indulging in illegal trafficking, the exploitation of sex and labour, product counterfeiting, drug distribution, and international money laundering,” stated the Interior Ministry.
Authorities inspected hundreds of businesses and vehicles, identifying more than 1,900 potential suspects. Police seized 550 grams of crystal methamphetamine, locally known as “shabu”—equivalent to about 5,500 doses—as well as firearms and cash. Additionally, 31 individuals were reported to judicial authorities without being detained.
In a parallel operation, Italy’s financial police, Guardia di Finanza, dismantled a large-scale tax fraud scheme worth USD 3.9 billion. The operation resulted in the seizure of USD 858 million, the shutdown of 266 shell companies, and the freezing of 400 bank accounts across the regions of Marche, Lombardy, and Piedmont.
“These coordinated efforts demonstrate that Chinese mafia operations extend beyond local concerns, representing a transnational criminal reality capable of moving billions and infiltrating the economic landscape,” said Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi.
The crackdown comes amid mounting scrutiny of Chinese influence in Italy, including investigations into alleged “overseas police stations” reportedly operated by Chinese authorities. Human rights group Safeguard Defenders reported in 2022 that Italy hosted the most such clandestine centres—11 in total—located in cities such as Rome, Milan, Venice, Florence, Sicily, and Prato.
Italian officials have denied authorizing these centers and pledged stricter oversight. In December 2022, Interior Minister Piantedosi warned of sanctions if any illegality was uncovered. Italy also suspended joint patrols with Chinese police in 2022 over human rights concerns and fears the programs were being used to monitor dissidents.
Italy’s Anti-Mafia Commission has expanded its focus to investigate the nexus between Chinese organised crime and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Experts, including former NATO Defence College Foundation Director Giuseppe Morabito, have warned that Chinese gangs in Europe often collaborate with state-linked actors, blurring the line between criminal activity and foreign influence.
The nationwide raids follow years of investigations into underground Chinese banking systems allegedly used to channel billions of euros generated through counterfeiting, prostitution, and tax evasion back to China.
Globally, Chinese organised crime is drawing increasing attention. A 2024 joint investigation by ProPublica and The Frontier uncovered links between Chinese diplomats and organised crime figures in the United States. Other reports have documented Chinese triads supplying precursor chemicals for fentanyl to Mexican drug cartels, according to The Epoch Times. (ANI)
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