The craze for vintage video games is on the rise globally, with Italy’s financial police uncovering a counterfeit ring trafficking classic consoles from China. Over 12,000 consoles were seized, containing more than 47 million pirated games valued at over 47.5 million euros. Popular titles like Mario Bros., Street Fighter, and Star Wars were among the illicit copies found on imitated Nintendo, Sega, and Atari consoles. The resurgence of 80s and 90s games in the “retrogaming” trend has fueled this illegal trade. Imported from China without meeting European standards, these consoles were sold online through platforms like Amazon. Nine Italians have been arrested for trading in counterfeit goods and face up to eight years in prison for their involvement.
Source: www.ibtimes.com