San Giuseppe Vesuviano – A blow to the counterfeit industry in the heart of the Vesuvius area.
Finance police from the Naples Emergency Response Group have busted a well-organized counterfeit goods ring, arresting a 40-year-old Moroccan man already known to law enforcement and seizing an illegal treasure: 65 items of counterfeit clothing, over half a kilo of hashish, and €130 in cash.
The discovery of the clandestine warehouse
The operation was triggered by intensified controls in the Neapolitan hinterland, where the counterfeit market—from street vendors on Via Toledo to stalls along the seafront—thrives thanks to unscrupulous wholesalers. This time, the target was an anonymous warehouse in San Giuseppe Vesuviano, transformed into a veritable counterfeiting emporium.
Among the incredibly crowded shelves, the Fiamme Gialle found everything: perfectly cloned T-shirts, sweatshirts, tracksuits, and sneakers, complete with counterfeit labels and logos from Gucci, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, and EA7. Merchandise that, at first glance, could fool even the most expert eyes.
But the most sensational surprise came during the searches: hidden among the clothing boxes, the officers discovered blocks of hashish ready for sale, along with bags for drug dealing and a 130 euro haul, likely the result of a double business.
Who is the arrested person?
The alleged "king" of counterfeiting, a forty-year-old with a criminal record, was caught red-handed and now faces charges of drug trafficking, counterfeiting, and receiving stolen goods. A multimillion-dollar business that supplied the black market in Naples and perhaps beyond.
Meanwhile, the seized goods will be shredded, while the investigation could expand. Because a question arises: who were the other customers of this counterfeit "supermarket"?
Article published by Rosaria Federico on July 26, 2025, at 07:48 PM
Comments (1)
The article describes a major anti-counterfeiting operation, but I wonder how such a large-scale trafficking operation could have remained hidden for so long. Authorities should intensify controls in other areas.