Overview

• Zhang Dayong, a senior figure in the Chinese underworld, and his partner Gong Xiaoqing were shot dead outside their home in Rome's Pigneto district on Monday night.
• The killings are suspected to be part of a turf war among Chinese mafia factions vying for control over counterfeit luxury goods, extortion, and other illicit markets.
• The assassin, using a 9mm pistol, carried out the execution-style killings with precision, firing six shots at close range before fleeing on foot.
• Zhang was linked to Zhang Naizhong, a crime boss currently on trial in Florence for orchestrating illegal operations across Europe, including extortion and money laundering.
• Authorities are investigating the broader criminal network, highlighting ties between Chinese and traditional Italian mafias and the challenges of dismantling these covert operations.