Mafia increasingly targeting the metaverse – report – English

(ANSA) – ROME, SEP 14 – Mafia organisations are increasingly
targeting the metaverse as the new frontier for criminal
activity, according to a report released by the Anti-Mafia
Investigative Directorate (DIA) on Thursday.

   
The report, which refers to the second half of 2022 and focuses
on encrypted communication platforms and, in general, on the
internet and the darkweb, highlighted the ability of criminal
organisations “to rapidly grasp the technological and
economic-financial transformations on a global scale”.

   
The report also illustrated mafia clans’ decreasing recourse to
conventional violence and growing interest in business and
investment and the opportunities offered by national and
European funds.

   
Calabria’s ‘Ndrangheta mafia continued to dominate organised
crime in Italy, while Sicily’s Cosa Nostra is reportedly
attracting younger generations.

   
In total assets worth 181.4 million euros were confiscated from
mafia organisations during the reporting period. (ANSA).