Italian reporting tied a watch-smuggling investigation at Milan Malpensa Airport to an alleged operation with an estimated business volume of €103 million. That figure was not the value of watches seized at the airport: Rai News reported a separate €23 million seizure order, while later coverage described about 64,000 watches allegedly imported between 2020 and 2022. Five people were reported due before a preliminary-hearing judge in July 2026, but the hearing’s outcome has not been confirmed in the sources cited here.
What does the €103 million figure mean?
Rai News reported the €103 million figure as the estimated business volume attributed to the alleged scheme, not as an airport seizure valuation. Its 2024 account separately reported a €23 million seizure order and at least 80 shipments. Rai News, 2024
In March 2026, La Prealpina described about 64,000 luxury watches allegedly imported between 2020 and 2022 and again associated the operation with a value of €103 million. The two reports use different measures of scale—shipments in the Rai News account and an estimated watch count and period in La Prealpina’s account—so they should not be treated as an exact matching inventory. La Prealpina, March 2026
How were the watches allegedly smuggled?
According to Rai News, investigators alleged that luxury watches from Hong Kong were brought into Italy using false foreign invoices and the community transit customs regime. The alleged arrangement was intended to avoid customs duties and VAT; the watches were then reportedly sold off the books.
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The brands named in the report included Rolex, IWC, Bulgari, Chopard and Cartier. Their appearance in the account identifies watches investigators said were involved; it does not establish that any of those brands participated in or knew about the alleged conduct.
What is known about the court proceedings?
La Prealpina reported in March 2026 that five people were expected to appear before a preliminary-hearing judge in July 2026. The sources cited here do not establish whether that hearing took place or what the judge decided. The reported investigation and seizure order are not, by themselves, proof of guilt or a final conviction.
Rank #2
- Overall size: 7.48"D x 13.39"W x 5.31"H (19x34x13.5cm); with 12 slots and can fit different types of watches with a dial size up to 50 mm
- 2-Layer: The upper layer can hold 12 watches, and the bottom drawer offers additional storage for watchbands, cufflinks, bracelets, rings, pens, necklaces, and other jewelry, keep them in one place and protect them against dampness, shaking and friction, or missing
- Clear Glass Lid: Sturdy glass window display watches collection, keep watches from dust and scratching, find your fave at a glance to save time
- Quality Materials:PU leather exterior and soft lining for a stylish look to protect the watch from scratches; soft-yet-supportive pillows fit most sizes and styles of watches, keeping them in good shape
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Was this the Linate watch seizure?
No. This investigation concerns Malpensa and the alleged multi-year scheme. A separate story from Il Giorno, published on 5 October 2026, concerned a passenger arriving from China at Milan Linate Airport with 15 luxury watches and 325 collectible cards. That report put the items’ combined value at about €95,000 and said the administrative assessment exceeded €26,000. It was a distinct passenger case, not a seizure of €103 million in watches connected to the Malpensa investigation. Il Giorno, 5 October 2026
Quick Recap
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