A Maxi food fraud In the dairy sector he was recently discovered in Sicily. The Guardia di Finanza of Ragusa, together with the central inspectorate for the protection of quality and repression fraud (ICQRF) of Vittoria, has unmasked a large scam that saw the introduction on the market of approx 3 million liters of milk of Maltese origin, falsely declared as Italians.
The fulcrum of the operation revolves around a well -known storage center based in Ragusa, which brings together over 150 breeders located on the island. According to what was ascertained by the investigators, between 2024 and 2025 the structure would have imported large quantities of pasteurized milk by Malta, however altering the documentation that accompanied it to make it pass as a local product.
The fraud took place in two ways: on the one hand, the Maltese origin was completely omitted, replaced with false indications of Italian or Sicilian origin; on the other, The pasteurization treatment immediately abroad was deleted, replaced by the deceptive declaration of “raw milk”.
The cheeses passed off as Made in Italy
Counterfeit milk was then distributed to various dairies, both in Sicily and in the rest of the countrywhich – unaware of the real origin of the raw material – used it for the production of cheeses labeled such as Made in Italy and, in some cases, as authentically Sicilian.
The owners of the storage center involved were referred to the judicial authority on charges of material falsity and fraud on the market. However, the presumption of innocence towards the suspects, as the Guardia di Finanza, however, remains valid, until any final sentence.
The operation is part of the checks provided by the Royal Cabin 2025 of the Ministry of Agriculture, aimed at protecting the agri -food “made in Italy”. The contribution of the anti -control and safety group products of the Guardia di Finanza and the officials of the ICQRF, which led checks along the entire supply chain, up to the transformation plants, was fundamental.
An economic and reputational damage
This fraud represents a dual damage: on the one hand it economically affects the honest producers who respect the rules and invest in quality, on the other it undermines the trust of consumers, deceived by false labels that unduly exploit the reputation of the Italian agri -food.
The Ragusa operation is only the last of a series of interventions aimed at contrasting the increasingly widespread phenomenon of false Made in Italy in the agri -food sector. The authorities promise to intensify controls to protect consumers and production excellence of the territory, threatened by incorrect practices that alter the market and compromise food safety.
Source: Guardia di Finanza
