Italian authorities arrested 13 individuals in a sweeping anti-mafia operation targeting Chinese organized crime groups. The raids, carried out across 25 provinces, focused on offenses including drug trafficking, sex exploitation, and violent robbery, police announced on Monday.
Key cities involved in the operation included Milan, Rome, Florence, Prato, and Catania, according to Andrea Olivadese of Italy’s anti-organised crime police. An additional 31 people were reported to judicial authorities but not detained, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
During the raids, police seized 550 grams of crystal meth ("shabu")—equivalent to approximately 5,500 doses—and inspected hundreds of shops and vehicles.
Authorities described the groups as mafia-style networks operating with intimidation, violence, and vendettas, primarily targeting members of the Chinese community in Italy. The gangs reportedly function with a strong sense of territorial control and engage in revenge-based feuds.
"The groups use tactics resembling traditional mafias, including territorial domination and acts of vengeance," police said.
In April, a suspected turf war led to the fatal shooting of a senior Chinese underworld figure and his associate in Rome.
The Chinese mafia in Italy reportedly relies on the Hawala system for discreet international money transfers and maintains ties with other Italian criminal syndicates, sharing zones of influence and business operations.
Police noted that many gang members come from specific regions of China, establishing stronger roots in areas with dense Chinese populations, such as Tuscany. The city of Prato, known for its large Chinese community and textile industry, has long struggled with labor exploitation, especially involving undocumented workers.
The arrests come amid broader investigations into alleged labor abuse in Chinese-owned factories supplying high-end Italian fashion labels like Valentino, Giorgio Armani, and Loro Piana.
