Italy’s art police are investigating 38 people being and have seized more than 2,000 works of art since beginning the operation in 2023.

Italian police have uncovered a large-scale pan-European forgery network making and selling fake artworks attributed to some of the biggest names in modern and contemporary art, including Banksy, Pablo Picasso,

Police in Italy say they have busted a major European criminal network forging and selling artworks by some of the biggest names in modern art. More than 2,100 forged artworks were recovered, including works attributed to artists including British street artist Banksy, Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso.

More than 2,100 counterfeit pieces were seized, including works falsely attributed to Banksy, Andy Warhol, and Pablo Picasso. A total of 38 individuals were arrested in connection with the forgeries, which had a potential sale value of approximately $213 million.

Italian authorities say they have dismantled a network of European art forgers who made fake Warhols, Banksys and Picassos and then tried to sell them with the help of complicit auction houses

Investigators discovered six forgery workshops and seized more than 2,100 fake artworks with a potential market value of about $215 million.

The investigation so far spans Italy, Spain, France and Belgium, with suspects under investigation for conspiracy to handle stolen goods, forgery and illegal sale of artworks. News of the investigation was jointly announced by the paramilitary Carabinieri art squad and the Pisa prosecutors’ office and first reported by Reuters.