Organized crime infiltrates Italy's gold market and northern hubs

Investigations by the Guardia di Finanza reveal how organized crime groups, specifically the 'Ndrangheta, are infiltrating legal markets to facilitate money laundering. A key mechanism involves the gold buying sector, where criminal organizations exploit the economic desperation of individuals who sell family heirlooms and private gold reserves to meet immediate financial needs.

Magistrate Stefano Ammendola of the Milan Anti-Mafia District Directorate highlights a strategic link between the criminal origins in Reggio Calabria and economic expansion hubs like Milan. This connection allows the 'Ndrangheta to maintain operational continuity across territories, with some areas in Lombardy serving as significant northern strongholds. The organization's ability to expand globally has necessitated coordination with Eurojust to combat its infiltration into European and international contexts.