European Art Forgery Network Dismantled by Italian Police

Italian authorities have dismantled a large transnational network of art forgers responsible for creating and selling fake artworks attributed to renowned artists like Banksy, Andy Warhol, and Pablo Picasso. The investigation, initiated after the discovery of 200 counterfeit pieces in Pisa, led to the seizure of more than 2,100 forgeries with a market value estimated at €200 million ($212 million). Thirty-eight individuals across Italy, Spain, France, and Belgium are under investigation for conspiracy, forgery, and illegal sale of artworks. The forgeries were supported by complicit auction houses that issued fraudulent certificates of authenticity. Several forgery workshops in Tuscany, Venice, and other European locations were uncovered, and fake artworks were exhibited to bolster the credibility of the network. This operation is considered a significant act of protection for the works of Banksy, with experts from the Banksy archive involved in the investigation.