The fake art included forged works by Banksy, Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali. The operation, led by Pisa's Chief Prosecutor Teresa Angela Camelio, marks a major blow to art crime in Europe.

Italy’s culture ministry said Monday the seizures in Italy, France, Spain and Belgium netted 2,100 fake works attributed to more than 30 famed artists, including Andy Warhol, Amedeo Modigliani, Banksy, Pablo Picasso, Joan Mirò, Francis Bacon ...

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.

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 police have uncovered a large-scale pan-European forgery network that makes and sells fake artworks attributed to some of the biggest names

Italian authorities say the network could have done 200 million euros ($212 million) in economic damage by flooding the art market with fake works.

According to Italian officials, a criminal network operating across Europe has forged artworks by Banksy, Picasso, and Warhol. An international operation resulted in the seizure of more than 2,100 forged pieces across Italy,

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,

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.

Fake Banksy artworks that were sized by police are show in Rome in this handout image provided by the Italian Culture Ministry on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Italian Cul