In a “bottom” the production center of fake euros

A resale of fake euro banknotes in a “basso” of the historic center of Napoli. From that logistical base the counterfeit coins would have reached various cities in Italy and Europe. This is the picture that emerged from the investigations of the District Anti-Mafia Directorate of the Naples Prosecutor’s Office, an investigative activity which culminated this morning with the execution of an application order for precautionary measures against 63 people. The operation was carried out by soldiers from the Carabinieri Anti-Counterfeiting Command, supported by those from the provincial commands of Naples, Milano, Salerno e Agrigentoof the tenth Campania regiment, of the seventh Helicopter unit of Pontecagnano and, for the international extension, from Europol. The suspects will have to answer, in various capacities, for criminal association aimed at selling counterfeit euro currency, including abroadin agreement with those who produced it, aggravated by having facilitated the activity of Mazzarella Camorra clanhegemonic in the Mercato-Pendino area of ​​Naples, of complicity in the sale of counterfeit currency and, in two episodes, of attempted extortion.

The European arrest warrant

In the same context, in Francelocal staff Central Office for the Repression of Counterfeiting ha eseguito un European arrest warrant against an Italian recipient of the restrictive measure who in the meantime is located in that country. Applied for 48 subjects were subjected to the precautionary measure of detention in prisonper 14 that of house arrest e for a person the extent of the residence ban in the Municipality of Naples. The total amount of the illicit business was estimated at 6 million euros. The logistics bases were managed like shops, with even the indication of opening and closing times to the public.

Resales of counterfeit banknotes

The Mercato-Pendino resale was in fact open on weekdays from 9am to 5pm, while on Sundays from 9am to 1pm. In it it was possible to purchase 100 euro banknotes, defined in jargon by the associates as “the old type” and “the new type”, i.e. belonging to the “eras and styles” and “Europa” series, 50 euro banknotes, defined in jargon, with respect to the quality of their workmanship, “B/B”, “Maradona” and “Pelè” (in order decreasing with respect to quality) and from 20 euros, of a single type of counterfeit.

The clan’s business

The investigation confirmed the intention to facilitate the Mazzarella clan: the area in which the organization operated, commonly called ‘Ncopp’ ‘e mura’, is notoriously subjected to the criminal hegemony of the Camorra group, to which part of the proceeds from the sale of counterfeit banknotes was constantly and freely paid. A circumstance confirmed by a justice collaborator who, many years before the events, had reported about a gang dedicated to the sale of “false money”. The precautionary measure follows another operation by the specialized unit of the Carabinieri, for whose proceedings, defined with a request for immediate judgment, on 7 November 2023, the Gup has already issued the first sentences of conviction against good part of the accused subjects. Over time, several important seizure operations of counterfeit euro currency were carried out, for a total nominal value estimated at over 200 thousand euros, and seven arrests, carried out in flagrante delicto, of buyers, three of whom were French citizens about to return in your country. The investigations made it possible to define the members’ ability to export the counterfeit currency abroad. In fact, not only were the three French citizens arrested, but it was documented, through wiretaps, that the currency had been sold in France, Spain and Greece. Finally, the tasks assigned to each member of the association are qualified: leader/promoter, organizers, custodians, couriers, lookouts, cleaner of the lower ground.