They were convinced they were pulling off an “easy peasy” hit, but the plan of two Neapolitans on a trip to Rome turned into a total fiasco. Confident that the counterfeit banknotes they had in their possession would pass any check, the two had planned to make purchases without fearing legal repercussions. However, the timely intervention of the Guardia di Finanza thwarted their attempt, leading to a complaint at large for both of them.
The protagonists of the story are a 24-year-old and a 32-year-old from Naples, both with specific criminal records. Their plan consisted of spending counterfeit banknotes to obtain real money as change during purchases. The blitz by the Guardia di Finanza took place in Piazza del Risorgimento, near St. Peter's, where the two criminals had been noticed while trying to use counterfeit banknotes in an ice cream shop.
The capture, however, was not easy: during the escape, the two tried to get rid of the counterfeit money by throwing it in a bag. The 32-year-old, now in a tight spot, even pretended to be deaf in an attempt to evade arrest, but the trick did not work.
During the operation, the soldiers of the Rome Rapid Response Group seized counterfeit banknotes for a total value of one thousand euros. This is money that the two had already received as change in previous transactions. The two men were therefore reported for the crime of spending and introducing counterfeit money into the economic circuit.
The investigations, however, do not stop here. The investigators are analyzing the connections and backgrounds of the two accused to identify the supply channel of the banknotes. Recent investigations, such as the one that unmasked the criminal organization "Naples Group”, have in fact confirmed the existence of clandestine printing houses of counterfeit banknotes in the capital of Campania. These structures not only produce counterfeit money, but also manage a widespread distribution network, with well-defined rates for retail sales.
The Guardia di Finanza intends to shed full light on the affair and dismantle any further ramifications of the criminal network.
Article published on 3 January 2025 - 07:04
And it's a complicated situation, for sure. The two who wanted to make an easy hit but then got caught. Even if they thought they were smart, in the end they got it all wrong. The Guardia di Finanza did the right thing in intervening.