Russia is covertly moving weapons into Italy through mafia clans, according to the Italian outlet Linkiesta. Unmarked Kalashnikovs, modern assault rifles, sniper rifles and ammunition produced between 2010 and 2020 are entering the country via Sicilian seaports and border crossings in Friuli Venezia Giulia, the report says.
These the shipments of Russian-made weaposn are stored and resold by organized crime groups.
Sources say part of the arsenal is available on demand, while some is held as a strategic reserve that clans do not put on the market but can use if necessary, including for geopolitical aims. Europol experts note that this kind of “controlled storage” has become typical for Italian mafia groups in recent decades.
Particular attention is on Catania, Sicily, where caches of new Russian weaponry have been identified. In March 2022, police seized an arsenal tied to the Nizza group of the Santapaola-Ercolano clan, including nine firearms and nearly 1,000 rounds. New consignments are arriving in the neighborhoods of San Giovanni Galermo and Librino and are kept in specially prepared warehouses.
Reporters also note that the weapons are shipped to Italy via Russia’s so‑called “shadow fleet,” used to transport oil to skirt sanctions. The cargo is concealed in barrels of fuel or lubricants, helping it evade checks and remain battle-ready. While some shipments are intercepted on Italy’s eastern border, others still make their way into mafia networks.
