Italian reporting put the alleged watch-smuggling operation’s estimated business volume at €103 million—not the value of watches seized at Milan Malpensa Airport. A 2024 Rai News report described at least 80 shipments and a €23 million seizure order; a later report said five people were expected in court in July 2026, but the reviewed coverage does not establish what happened at that hearing.
What the €103 million figure means
The figure refers to the estimated value or business volume attributed to the alleged operation. Rai News reported it in 2024, and La Prealpina repeated the valuation in a March 2026 account. Neither figure should be described as the value of watches seized at the airport. Rai News separately reported a €23 million seizure order, a distinct measure from the €103 million estimate. Rai News; La Prealpina.
How investigators say the watches were moved
According to Rai News, investigators alleged that luxury watches, including Rolex, IWC, Bulgari, Chopard and Cartier models, were imported from Hong Kong using false foreign invoices and the community transit customs regime. The watches were then allegedly sold off the books, avoiding customs duties and VAT. These are allegations about the people under investigation; the reporting does not establish that any of the named watch brands knew of or participated in the alleged conduct.
Reported scale and dates
- Rai News reported at least 80 shipments and a €23 million seizure order in its 2024 account.
- La Prealpina’s March 2026 report said the alleged imports took place between 2020 and 2022, involved about 64,000 watches and were valued at €103 million.
The accounts describe related figures but do not make the shipment count and watch count interchangeable: one is a reported count of shipments, the other an estimated number of watches.
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What is known about the court proceedings
La Prealpina reported in March 2026 that five people were expected to appear before a preliminary-hearing judge in July 2026. That report establishes a scheduled hearing, not its outcome. The available coverage reviewed here does not confirm whether it took place or whether a judge made any subsequent decision. The allegations should therefore not be presented as a final conviction.
Was this the Linate airport seizure?
No. This is the Malpensa investigation. A separate report from Il Giorno on 5 October 2026 described a passenger arriving from China at Milan Linate with 15 luxury watches and 325 collectible cards. Their reported combined value was about €95,000, and the administrative assessment exceeded €26,000. That passenger incident is not the alleged €103 million Malpensa operation. Il Giorno.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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Rank #4
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Rank #3
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Rank #2
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