Italy reports rising trend of microchip removal from electronic IDs

Carabinieri in Baiano, Avellino, have referred a 28-year-old man to judicial authorities for material forgery after discovering he had surgically removed the microchip from his electronic identity card (CIE).

The removal was identified as a deliberate act rather than accidental damage. By eliminating the chip, the individual rendered the document unable to provide the digital and biometric data required for automated verification systems. This modification effectively turns the identity card into a counterfeit document.

Authorities report that this is part of a growing national trend in Italy. Some individuals are intentionally tampering with their electronic IDs to evade digital tracking and bypass automated identification checks at airports, banks, and public offices.