The border between billionaire collecting and smuggling passes through the conveyor belt at Malpensa airport. On 24 August 2026, in the non-Schengen arrivals area of the main Lombardy airport, a sensational episode took place which demonstrates how the collectible playing card market is now producing mind-boggling figures.
A passenger disembarking from the direct flight from Tokyo tried to go through the controls by crossing the “nothing to declare” lane. To the ritual question of the officials of the Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM) and the soldiers of the Guardia di Finanza, the man assured that he was not carrying any goods subject to taxation or duties.
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The treasure hidden among the clothes
The in-depth inspection of the luggage – consisting of a trolley, a suitcase and a backpack – revealed a completely different reality. Hidden among the personal effects were 605 collector’s cards dedicated to the famous figurative universes of Pokémon and One Piece. Without the relevant fiscal and commercial documentation in tow, the agents had to start a meticulous analytical reconnaissance of each individual piece to evaluate its price on the global market. The result surprised the inspectors themselves: the goods transported exceeded an estimated value of 27,000 euros, pulverizing the maximum ceiling of the 430 euro allowance reserved for air travelers coming from non-EU countries.
“Graded” cards and evasion from 6,900 euros
What made the cargo particularly precious was the presence of numerous specimens preserved in special protective cases and already subjected to grading. In collectors’ jargon, this procedure involves preventive analysis by authorized third-party bodies who certify its authenticity, conservation and quality, assigning a fixed score and multiplying the auction price.
Failure to declare would have allowed the passenger to avoid paying customs duties, for an amount estimated at approximately 6,900 euros divided between duty and VAT. The operation triggered the immediate administrative seizure aimed at confiscation, charging the subject with the violation of the legislation regulated by Legislative Decree 26 September 2024, n. 141.
A global business that also attracts crime
The Malpensa episode highlights the financial explosion of brands such as Pikachu and Monkey D. Luffy, transformed into true safe haven assets similar to works of art. It is not the first time that the province of Varese has ended up at the center of the news in the sector: only last year in Busto Arsizio a negotiation for a specimen worth half a million euros ended with a movie scam based on waste paper, while cases of million-dollar thefts have also recently been recorded in Milan and Rome.
