Fake Apple Products Sold in the US: 4 Neapolitans Arrested

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Apple Counterfeits Usa Neapolitan Smugglers Arrested

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Naples – It wasn't the usual "transfer" of a few hundred kilometers. This time, the gang of Neapolitan smugglers had set their sights high: crossing the Atlantic to establish an international trafficking network of counterfeit electronics directly to the United States.

A daring operation, unmasked by American authorities thanks to a lightning investigation that led to the arrest of four people in DuPage County, Illinois.

The arrests, made in May and validated in June, brought to light an illicit business worth over $570.000 based on the illegal sale of counterfeit Apple , Samsung , and Dyson devices.

Those arrested were Salvatore De Rosa (50 years old), Simone Signorelli (23), Vincenzo De Martino (49) and Luca De Martino (25), all originally from Naples. According to the reconstruction of the American authorities, the group would have managed a real trade in counterfeit technology sold door to door and even on the street, with a well-structured organization rooted in a house on Diane Avenue in Glen Ellyn , Illinois where the four resided.

They had rented a cottage in Illinois

The investigation began on May 7, when Elmhurst police received a report of a suspicious white Kia SUV. The driver was Simone Signorelli , who allegedly attempted to sell a smartphone to a passerby in his driveway. After the offer was rejected, the man fled the scene, but was followed by a patrol car to the residence he shared with the other suspects.

The following day, a second illicit sale attempt was intercepted. Vincenzo De Martino, driving a Jeep Compass, allegedly offered gardeners the purchase of fake AirPods for $50-$60. Again, the buyers refused, but the gesture helped nail the entire group.

The search of the home led to the seizure of hundreds of counterfeit devices and a significant sum of cash, confirming suspicions of a much larger trafficking network than initially thought.

"These incidents damage the image of Naples and honest Italy," commented the Honorable Borrelli , "but they also provide an opportunity to reiterate the good work done by the many Italians and Campanians living in Chicago: honest workers, professionals, artisans, and restaurateurs who contribute positively to the local community every day."

The trial for the four arrested is already in the preliminary phase and the charges, if confirmed, could lead to heavy sentences for trafficking and sale of counterfeit goods with the intent to make a profit of more than half a million dollars.

(pictured from left Simone Signorelli, Vincenzo De Martino, Salvatore De Rosa and Luca De Martino)

Topics

Smuggling United States

Chronicles of Campania

14 February 2025

Actuality

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