The situation has become so urgent that Prato’s prosecutor, Luca Tescaroli, has appealed to Rome for help, calling for an anti-mafia division and reinforcements for judges and polic. Tescaroli has warned that the escalation in crime has become a huge business operation and moved beyond Italy, notably to France and Spain. The gangs are battling to control the production of hundreds of millions of clothes hangers each year — the market is estimated to be worth 100 million euros (US$115 million) — and the bigger prize of transporting apparel.
The Chinese mafia also “promotes the illegal immigration of workers of various nationalities” for Prato, Tescaroli said.
