Italian law enforcement authorities have seized counterfeit retro consoles with pirated video games valued at nearly 50 million euros, which were illegally imported from China.
The police discovered that the fake devices did not meet the technical and safety standards of the European Union.
Among the seized items were replicas of classic consoles from Nintendo, Sega, and Atari. These devices were loaded with pirated versions of popular games from the 80s and 90s, including Super Mario Bros. and Street Fighter.
As a result of the operation, police apprehended nine Italians who were charged with trafficking counterfeit goods. If found guilty, the suspects could face up to eight years in prison. Police reported that "all the seized counterfeit games were destroyed."
Alessandro Lanjella, head of the Turin financial police's economic crimes unit, stated:
“We seized approximately 12,000 consoles, which illegally contained over 47 million pirated video games. Their estimated value exceeds 47.5 million euros.”
According to him, this amount covers the value of the consoles and hundreds of licenses for the pirated software.
In recent years, retro games have become a lucrative business. Classic games and consoles are often sold for hundreds or even thousands of dollars. This trend has led to an increased demand for retro products, creating a favorable environment for fraudsters.
Source: videogameschronicle
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