ABSTRACT: The data relative to the "amount of profits related to drugs traffic" in Italy.

(1994 - IL QUOTIDIANO RADICALE, 4 November 1993)

How large are the profits generated by the drug traffic? The most realistic assessments are provided by GAFI, which estimates that between $120 and 150 billion coming from the drug trade are laundered in the world every year. For Italy the estimates point to a market between $9.500 and 13,000 billion, of which 7,000 for heroin alone. In actual fact, only heroin consumption is to some extent under control, thanks to the data provided by the SET (drug addiction service) and by deductions on small-scale crime. SCA (Central Anti-Drug Service) puts the turnover of the traffickers at at least 15,000 billion a year. As to the number of persons working in the drug industry, ISTAT places the number of major traffickers at 10,000 and street dealers at 55,000.