Italy Seizes €200 Million in Assets Linked to Late Mafia Boss Messina Denaro
Rome, Italy – Italy announced on Thursday the seizure of assets valued at more than €200 million ($232 million) linked to the late Mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro. The operation, conducted by the Guardia di Finanza, targeted funds derived from drug trafficking that were reinvested in multiple countries.
Investigation Details
The investigation uncovered proceeds from drug trafficking reinvested in Europe and other regions. Assets were seized in Andorra, the Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Monaco, Spain, Switzerland, and Italy.
The funds were reintroduced into the legal economy through various assets, including luxury vacation resorts on Spain's Costa del Sol, bank accounts, securities portfolios, and corporate holding companies.
Seized Assets
Specific items seized include:
- More than 12 kg (26 lbs) of gold bars
- Millions in cash
- Premium watches
- 20 luxury properties
Arrests
Three people have been arrested in connection with the probe. Over 150 financial police officers conducted searches in Italy and abroad.
Official Statement
"This operation has great strategic importance," said Italy's top anti-Mafia prosecutor, Giovanni Melillo.
He stated that the operation identified and seized a portion of illicit wealth and hindered Cosa Nostra's attempt to rebuild after Messina Denaro's death. Melillo said the seizures are part of a broader effort to dismantle the Sicilian Mafia’s economic infrastructure.
Background
Matteo Messina Denaro was the head of Sicily's Castelvetrano clan and a leading figure in the Cosa Nostra. He was convicted of involvement in the 1992 murders of anti-Mafia judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, deadly bombings in 1993, and the kidnapping and murder of a 12-year-old boy.
After 30 years as a fugitive, he was arrested in January 2023. He died in a prison hospital in September 2023, nine months after his capture.