Mafia-run fake Ferrari racket busted by Italian police
Scroll down for more … Fake versions of Ferraris like this were being sold online by the Mafia Twenty-one of the fake cars were seized in Palermo and were put together using parts salvaged from stolen cars and write-offs. General Carofiglio described the fake mechanics as “extremely talented” and said that they also used second-hand American Pontiacs before selling them on for a huge profit. He added that a used car cost them 3,000 Euros, while the finished product fetched 20,000-50,000 Euros.
Investigators said the buyers, who were mainly businessmen and entrepreneurs, were aware the cars were imitations rather than the genuine item. General Carofiglio said: “What needs to be underlined is the risk of injury, the knock-off cars were not reliable. “The sales were being made on the internet and we monitored online car sales sites to keep an eye on where these fake cars were going.
“The buyers were mainly businessmen or industrialists who were fully aware they were fake but could not afford or did not want to pay the genuine prices. “They were selling dozens each month and making millions of Euro a year. It was a very well run Mafia operation.” Those arrested are being held on suspicion of fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud and receiving stolen goods.
General Carofiglio said that one of the cars seized was a flaming red F360 no longer produced and which was selling at 100,000 Euro - half of what it should cost. Dozens of false Ferraris have been seized by the police in Italy over the last 25 years.