Casalnuovo forgery center: investigators are now reconstructing 40-year-old Vincenzo Salzano's network of contacts to understand who the documents were intended for and what use the cards and electronic terminal were made of. The most likely hypothesis is that the material was used to carry out scams or fraudulent transactions, perhaps with cloned or stolen cards.
Despite the variety of actors involved—from the "artisan" counterfeiter to the digital broker—investigators believe that in several cases the counterfeit workshops operate on commission from larger organizations, where the Camorra or local criminal groups provide protection, logistics, and receiving channels for the proceeds.
Investigations into the trafficking of stolen goods and illegal immigration have revealed operational connections between counterfeiting laboratories and local clans, who exploit false identities to disguise vehicle ownership, transfer money, and establish financial relationships. Investigations conducted last year (in Salerno, Naples, and surrounding provinces) have already revealed how criminal networks have organized activities ranging from forgery to the placement of documents on the European market.
At the residence on Via Vanvitelli in Casalnuovo, officers from the Naples Flying Squad found dozens of identity cards ready for use in a drawer. These included ID cards with different names, fake health insurance cards, credit and debit cards issued by different institutions, two laptops, two smartphones, and even a POS terminal, possibly used to withdraw cash or transfer the stolen cards.
He was arrested on charges of possession and manufacturing of false identification documents and receiving stolen goods.
The previous arrest in 2014
But this isn't the first time for Salzano. His name had already appeared in the crime news ten years ago. In 2014, he was arrested at his home on Via Vanvitelli, also in Casalnuovo, on charges of aggravated burglary.
According to investigators, he then pretended to be a Carabinieri officer: he was wearing a fake uniform, holding a signal paddle with the words "Ministry of Finance" written on it, and a fake search warrant, which he used to gain entry into the home of a businessman in San Giovanni a Teduccio.
The loot: two Rolex watches, cell phones, and jewelry worth approximately 40 euros.
Since then, his criminal career seems to have continued.
Yesterday's arrest is part of a series of operations conducted in recent weeks in Naples and its province by the police, Carabinieri, and Guardia di Finanza, all related to document forgery and identity laundering.
The parallel network of fake identities
A parallel network that provides fake identities not only to organized crime, but also to illegal migrants or digital fraudsters. In some cases, the documents are used to open bank accounts, register vehicles, or receive electronic payments related to illicit activities.
A hidden supply chain, in short, that makes Campania a strategic hub for the counterfeit identity business, where technology intertwines with old-school fraud and theft. A business that, once again, passes through a random room in a suburban building.
Recurring operating modes
Turnkey production and sale of fake identities; creation of "incomplete" documents to be completed downstream (with photos or data provided by the customer); shipments via parcels or local deliveries; intermediation with "couriers" who transport documents abroad.
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Customers: Who buys a fake identity?
The demand is heterogeneous. Clients include: irregular migrants seeking administrative cover; scammers and gangs specializing in bank and postal fraud;
criminal networks that use identities to register stolen goods, open accounts, or evade tax audits.
Judicial investigations show that the production of false documents is often intertwined with other illicit activities: counterfeit permits for irregular entry, fictitious applications for contributions or undeclared work, and the use of documents to "operate" illicit money flows. Coordinated operations between prosecutors and law enforcement agencies have already led to precautionary measures against groups offering comprehensive packages for the illegal entry and fictitious regularization of foreigners.
The connection with organized crime and scam gangs
Despite the variety of actors involved—from the "artisan" counterfeiter to the digital broker—investigators believe that in several cases the counterfeit workshops operate on commission from larger organizations, where the Camorra or local criminal groups provide protection, logistics, and receiving channels for the proceeds.
Investigations into the trafficking of stolen goods and illegal immigration have revealed operational connections between counterfeiting laboratories and local clans, who exploit false identities to disguise vehicle ownership, transfer money, and establish financial relationships.
Last season's investigations (in Salerno, Naples, and surrounding provinces) have already revealed how criminal networks have organized chains ranging from forgery to the placing of documents on the European market.
Collateral victims: defrauded elderly people and bank fraud
A particularly nasty side effect of the fake identity market is the rise in senior citizen scams and banking fraud. Stolen or cloned identities allow groups to carry out fraudulent operations. spoofing, illicit withdrawals, and purchases with cloned cards; in many cases, law enforcement agencies documented networks using illicit identities to register contracts, obtain expenses from third parties, and collect reimbursements. The Carabinieri and the police have arrested groups who, using phone swindles and false documents, defrauded dozens of elderly people, stealing money and goods. This network—false documents → cards in the name of unsuspecting individuals → fraud against the elderly → money laundering—is now consolidated in several provinces.
Where documents pass: from the territory to the network
Distribution channels are multiple: local door-to-door deliveries, couriers using the postal network, and increasingly, encrypted channels (Telegram, WhatsApp groups, dark web). Some uncovered operations involve shipments to European and North African countries, indicating a transnational market. Postal authorities and couriers, in consultation with prosecutors, are setting up monitoring systems to identify "anomalous" shipments.
The investigative response and recent numbers
Police, Carabinieri, Guardia di Finanza and Postal Police They have intensified their raids: among the seizures of equipment, arrests and asset seizures, significant operations emerge in Ponticelli, Casoria, Aversa, Torre Annunziata and now Casalnuovo.
Prosecutors have opened investigations into criminal conspiracy, receiving stolen goods, and cyber fraud; significant seizures demonstrate the scale of the phenomenon, which requires inter-agency cooperation and digital analysis tools to decipher online sales networks.
Counterfeiting as a criminal infrastructure
The police and financial police operations that have targeted counterfeiting laboratories in recent months tell the same story: behind the apparent craftsmanship lie networks capable of integrating technological expertise, logistical channels, and cover provided by criminal groups.
Counterfeit identities are no longer just an isolated tool, but the infrastructure that allows fraud, money laundering, and trafficking to thrive. Breaking this cycle requires more technological tools for law enforcement, stricter banking regulations, and coordinated judicial action that simultaneously targets production, demand, and receiving markets.
Comments (1)
This article highlights a very serious and complex problem related to document forgery in Campania. It's alarming to see how organized crime is exploiting technology for their illicit activities. It would be interesting to know what concrete measures are being taken to combat this situation.