Rome – A major State Police operation has shaken the criminal landscape involving the Chinese community in Italy.
Coordinated by the Central Operations Service (SCO), the operation, which concluded yesterday, involved 24 Italian provinces, with the aim of combating a network of illicit activities ranging from illegal immigration to the exploitation of prostitution and labor, from product counterfeiting to drug trafficking, and even the illegal possession of weapons.
The major raid, defined as "high impact", involved the deployment of the Flying Squads of Ancona, Bergamo, Bologna, Brescia, Cagliari, Catania, Cosenza, Florence, Forlì Cesena, Genoa, Latina, Mantua, Milan, Padua, Parma, Perugia, Pistoia, Prato, Reggio Emilia, Rome, Siena, Treviso, Udine, Verona and Vicenza, supported by the Crime Prevention Units.
The operations were preceded by meticulous investigations, conducted by the Flying Squads under the guidance of the SCO, which allowed them to identify key individuals and locations linked to criminal activities, with a particular focus on commercial establishments and production activities managed by members of the Chinese community.
During the operation, hundreds of citizens were checked and identified, many of whom were reported and 15 ended up in prison on charges of money laundering and drug trafficking, but also illegal immigration, and exploitation of prostitution and labor.
An organised and deep-rooted crime
Investigations have revealed the presence in Italy of structured Chinese criminal groups, often composed of individuals originating from the same geographical area of the People's Republic of China.
These groups, operating throughout the country, are concentrated above all in regions such as Tuscany, where the Chinese community It is particularly deep-rooted. Organized into autonomous nuclei, often family-based, these groups act primarily against compatriots, adopting a code of silence and resorting to intimidation and violence to assert their control over the territory. In some cases, investigations have documented the existence of actual "armed wings," charged with carrying out intimidation and serious crimes, including blood crimes.
A transnational criminal “dialogue”
A worrying aspect that emerged from the investigations is the ability of these groups to establish "dialogues" with other criminal organizations, including Italian ones, to divide up territories and illicit profits. Among the most significant activities is *hawala*, a clandestine money transfer system that allows large sums of money to be moved between continents. This method, used not only by Chinese criminals but also by other organizations, facilitates illicit trafficking such as drugs and migrants, as well as money laundering.
The operation highlights the complexity of the fight against Chinese crime in Italy. Their family structure and code of silence make it difficult to infiltrate these groups, while their ability to collaborate with other criminal organizations broadens the scope of their illicit activities. However, the success of the raid demonstrates the effectiveness of coordinated investigations and the "high-impact" approach adopted by the Italian National Police. Police of State.
This operation represents a significant blow to Chinese-based organized crime, but law enforcement's work doesn't stop there. Investigations continue to further dismantle criminal networks and prevent their reorganization. Joint institutional efforts, coupled with increased international cooperation, will be crucial to combating a phenomenon that operates on a global scale.
The State Police raid is not only an operational victory, but also a clear signal: Italy is determined to fight all forms of organized crime, regardless of its origin, to ensure safety and legality on its soil.
Article published by Federica Annunziata on August 4, 2025, at 07:30 AM
Comments (1)
It's important for the police to carry out operations like this to fight organized crime in Italy, but it's also true that more attention should be paid to the social causes that lead to these situations, because simply intervening isn't enough.