Luxury on Wheels, Lamborghini Rented in Ticino Disappears into the Black Market
A Lamborghini Huracán worth over 200,000 Swiss francs, legally rented in Ticino and then vanished after crossing the border, stands at the center of a crime story that merges luxury, deception, and organized crime. This case reveals how high-end vehicles are no longer just status symbols—they’ve become prized assets for a highly organized underground market.
Today, a 37-year-old Italian citizen stood trial before the Correctional Court on charges of embezzlement. The defendant, who confessed to the crime, was sentenced to a two-year suspended prison term and expelled from Switzerland for five years. The case was handled under an abbreviated procedure, presided over by Judge Monica Sartori Lombardi. The investigation was led by public prosecutor Francesca Nicora.
According to court findings, the man had advanced part of the rental fee to an accomplice before retrieving the luxury car. He then transported it to Italy with two others. Destination: Cerignola, in the Puglia region. Once there, the Lamborghini was handed over to unknown parties—and never seen again. Investigators believe it was dismantled into parts shortly after arrival.
The choice of Cerignola was no coincidence. The town is a known hub for illegal trafficking of luxury cars. Just months earlier, on December 10, Italian authorities dismantled a gang specializing in luxury car theft and trafficking. The group included expert "strippers," capable of disassembling entire vehicles in hours, removing all traces of ownership. The parts were then sold on various online platforms—both within Italy and across Eastern Europe.
The criminal network operated out of Cerignola and San Ferdinando di Puglia, and law enforcement issued 20 precautionary measures, including 12 arrests. The suspected ringleader was also based in the Cerignola area. Unsurprisingly, that’s where the stolen Lamborghini ended up. The vehicle has never been recovered. As part of a plea agreement, the defendant agreed to pay 205,000 francs in damages.
This episode is part of a broader pattern of fraud and misappropriation involving high-end car rentals and leasing schemes. Back in October, the Public Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation into irregularities involving luxury car leases with a financial institution. Five individuals were arrested and later released. The allegation: using lease contracts to acquire luxury cars, which were then rented out in Italy. The main suspect partially admitted the facts but denied deliberately disappearing the cars. Embezzlement remains the central charge, with the case also under the supervision of Prosecutor Nicora.
So, how vulnerable is the luxury market today? The answer: very. And criminal strategies are evolving quickly—outpacing even the strictest checks in the legal and financial sectors.
Source:
Poliziadistato.it
#GoalPress #LamborghiniHeist #LuxuryCars #OrganizedCrime #Cerignola #TicinoNews #AutoFraud #LuxuryLeasing #InternationalJustice #RentalSecurity
