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June 25, 2025 - 06:46 pm
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October 11, 2025 - 07:55
The gang, led by 70-year-old expert counterfeiter Alfredo Muoio, was able to continuously print perfectly counterfeit 50-euro bills. And this morning, thanks to a joint operation between the Naples Financial Police and the North Naples Prosecutor's Office, a veritable treasure trove of counterfeit banknotes was seized: a staggering €48 million in 50-euro denominations.
The raid took place at dawn in a warehouse in the neighborhood Ponticelli, where the gang had set up its clandestine laboratory. The military seized impressive offset machines from Casavatore, capable of printing very high-quality banknotes.
In addition to the ringleader Muoio, six other members of the gang were arrested: two skilled counterfeiters, the "vivandiere" who took care of their needs and liaised with Muoio, and three truck drivers whose job it was to move the machinery.
The quality of the banknotes
The quality of the banknotes was so high that Rome's Special Currency Police Unit believed they were linked to the "Napoli Group," one of the most efficient counterfeiting cartels in the world. Their selling price was 20 real euros for every 50 counterfeit euros.
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Since last April, the two counterfeiters had been living in virtual isolation in the warehouse so as not to interrupt production. At the time of the raid, they were in possession of approximately 80.000 sheets, each of which depicted 12 50-euro notes of the Europa type.
Muoio is a longtime acquaintance of law enforcement. A professional printer and owner of the "Muoiocartedagioco" (game shop), he has dedicated his life to counterfeiting money. In 2006, he was arrested red-handed in a warehouse in Castel Volturno while printing counterfeit 50-euro bills.
The new modus operandi
After his first arrest, Muoio decided to change his modus operandi: he delegated production to his "most loyal associates" while remaining in the shadows himself. However, this ploy failed to fool the financial police, who managed to dismantle his gang.
Investigations are continuing to reconstruct the counterfeit banknote distribution network and identify any additional accomplices. This operation confirms the Guardia di Finanza's commitment to combating counterfeiting, a phenomenon that seriously damages the economy and public safety.
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