Gang of arms dealers from the Balkans bought stained banknotes in Naples to clean them

Diamond trafficking and laundering ten kilos of gold and cash obtained through robberies: these were some of the criminal activities of the gang discovered by the Anti-Mafia Directorate (DDA) and the Carabinieri of Palermo, which was managing the refugee trafficking network through the Balkans. The leader, Fatmir Ljatifi, and one of his accomplices, Giuseppe Giangrosso, had established a dense network of businesses aimed at laundering large amounts of illicit capital. Ljatifi is said to have contacts with robbers living in the Balkans who specialize in "cleaning" banknotes stained with indelible ink, resulting from robberies or ATM thefts. Using chemical reagents, it is believed the banknotes can be cleaned of stains. However, the chemicals used are said to have damaged the holograms imprinted on the banknotes, necessitating their replacement. Ljatifi is said to have purchased them for months in Naples. The supply channel is said to be interrupted. The group also laundered significant amounts of money from Hong Kong through the Electronic Banking Internet Communication Standard (EBIS) system, which is primarily used for remote data transfer, such as capital payment transactions, between organizations and banks. The criminal organization relied on the complicity of companies in northeastern Italy. The gang carried out a complex and detailed negotiation aimed at laundering a shipment of diamonds of certain illicit origin worth approximately €11 million. The incident emerged in September 2017, when a conversation was intercepted in Ljatifi's car. The discussion revealed that some Kosovars had invited him to their country to purchase stolen diamonds. The suspect's task was to find buyers, already identified as wealthy citizens of Brussels, with the help of Turkish and Swiss accomplices.