Italian police have uncovered a major criminal group that was involved in counterfeiting and selling works of art. Thirty-eight people from Italy, Spain, France and Belgium were detained as part of the “Operation Caryatid” investigation, which began in March 2023.

The fraudsters forged works by more than 30 artists, including Picasso, Dali, Miro, Warhol and Banksy. In total, more than 2,100 fakes were seized and sold through online auctions and at exhibitions. The potential market value of the works that the criminals managed to sell is about 200 million.

Art forgery is a serious crime that undermines the integrity of the art market. The scale of this operation is truly alarming, with a wide range of artists being targeted. It's reassuring to see law enforcement taking action to protect the authenticity of artistic masterpieces.