Loan sharks in Italy are booming with business as people take out loans at high rates to deal with the economic downturn. From the Chicago Tribune: The worldwide economic downturn has opened the door for loan sharks to burrow ever deeper into Italy’s vulnerable economy by preying on businesses that need quick cash and credit, according to [...]

According to a business group in Italy, the Mafia is the biggest business in Italy. From ABC News: Organized crime is the biggest business in Italy, according to the latest study by the country’s shopkeepers association, Confesercenti. That Italy’s mafias do a booming business, particularly the drug-related variety, is common knowledge. But the effect on the country’s legitimate [...]

Over 200,000 people have signed a petition in support of author Roberto Saviano, who is reportedly being targeted for death by Italian organized crime figures. From the Guardian: The petition, on the website of Italian paper La Repubblica, was prompted by an open letter to the paper from Nobel laureates Günter Grass, Orhan Pamuk, Mikhail Gorbachev, Dario [...]

Authorities in Italy are looking into threats that the Naples Mafia is attempting to kill “Gomorra” author Roberto Saviano by Christmas.  From Reuters: Police in Italy are looking into reports that the Naples mafia plans to carry out its threat to kill the author of the best-selling book “Gomorra,” which has been made into a hit movie [...]

The Italian Government has deployed federal troops to Naples to combat organized crime activities. From the LA Times: The Italian government Tuesday ordered the deployment of a military task force to fight a wave of violence by the Neapolitan mafia, which culminated last week in the slayings of six African immigrants in a suspected feud over drug [...]

A Mexican drug cartel with international reach was broken up by authorities with members being arrested in the United States and Italy. From the AP (via the IHT): Agents dealt a substantial blow to an extremely violent Mexican drug cartel with 175 arrests in the U.S. and Italy, Attorney General Michael Mukasey said Wednesday. The Gulf cartel is responsible [...]

The Italian government has deployed hundreds of soldiers in a show of force to deter crime.  From the AP (via Yahoo News): Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s conservative government had proposed the measure as part of a security package that also toughens rules for illegal immigrants, whom some Italians link to crime. The measure, recently approved by parliament, remains [...]

According to the 2005 EU Organised Crime Report, ” With regards to Italy, recent research estimates the annual number of victims at over 5,000 with annual profits from the sale and sexual exploitation of women ranging from EUR 380 to EUR 950 Million ($450 Million to $1.25 Billion).” Source: EUROPOL, “ 2005 EU Organised Crime Report,” October [...]

Source: EUROPOL, ” 2005 EU Organised Crime Report,” October 25, 2005, pg. 16.

60 percent of the counterfeit goods market is based on counterfeit clothing and other fashion products, and caused 40,000 lost jobs in Italy over the past decade. Source: Vivia Chen, ” Italy’s Fashion Houses Wake Up to the Impact of Counterfeit Goods,” August 22, 2006,  (accessed: August 23, 2006).