Italian Authorities Dismantle €50M Retro Video Game Trafficking Ring

Nine arrested in Italy for importing counterfeit vintage consoles and games from China, with seized goods valued at $52.5 million.

Italian financial police have seized around 12,000 counterfeit retro gaming consoles and 47 million pirated video games.
The counterfeit goods, primarily imitations of Nintendo, Sega, and Atari consoles, were imported from China.
The seized items did not meet EU safety standards and were intended for sale in specialized shops and online.
Nine Italian nationals have been arrested and charged with trading in counterfeited goods, facing up to eight years in prison if convicted.
The retrogaming trend has seen a significant resurgence, with high demand driving a lucrative black market for vintage gaming consoles and games.