In Veneto, eco-mafia and environmental corruption are constantly present: the report

Regarding environmental crime in Veneto compared to the rest of the country, data shows a constant presence of these crimes, including enforcement, reported and arrested individuals, and seizures, which contribute to increasing the economic value of criminal proceeds, to the detriment of the environment.

Ecomafia's data and the extraordinary analytical contributions from all law enforcement agencies, the Anti-Mafia Investigative Directorate, the Port Authorities, the Customs and Monopolies Agency, and the ISPRA (National Institute for Environmental Protection and Prevention), together with the strong pressure on the Southern regions, demonstrate a widespread distribution of environmental crime throughout Italy. This is also confirmed as present and constant in Veneto, particularly in the province of Venice, which stands out among the other Veneto provinces, placing it in a somewhat disgraceful twelfth place (585 crimes and 1,009 misdemeanors) in the national ranking of Italian provinces with the highest levels of environmental crime in 2024. This is higher than Lecce, Ancona, Palermo, Reggio Calabria, and Messina, to name a few.

Regarding overall environmental crime, Veneto ranks ninth in the environmental crime rankings, with 1,823 crimes (4.5% of the national total) out of 65,334 inspections, 1,721 reported individuals, 211 seizures, 4,094 administrative offenses, and 3,790 administrative fines. Venice has the highest number of crimes, with 585, and the highest number of reported individuals, with 549, representing the highest burden among the Veneto provinces. Vicenza follows with 133 crimes, while Belluno and Padua have 54 and 98 crimes, respectively. In Veneto, the distribution of environmental crimes across the various rankings shows a significant burden on some provinces for specific categories. Overall, Venice has the highest burden across the various environmental crime rankings in Veneto, with a more significant presence than other regional provinces.

With regards to the cement cycle specifically, Veneto is in sixth place with 886 crimes (6.5% of the national total), 905 people reported and 20 seizures out of 31,011 checks carried out. Vicenza is the province with the most crimes (50) and the most people reported (68). Belluno follows (34 crimes and 29 people reported) and Venice (32 and 38). With regards to the waste cycle, Veneto is in thirteenth place with 363 crimes (3.3% of the national total), 362 people reported and 81 seizures out of 7,591 checks carried out. Venice presents 109 crimes, which represent approximately 60% of the total crimes in the region (Vicenza 62, Treviso 58, Padua 31, Rovigo 26, Verona 18, Belluno 14), highlighting Venice's greater involvement in this category. Veneto ranks eleventh in animal cruelty, with 367 crimes (5.1% of the national total), 307 reported individuals, and 81 seizures out of 8,416 checks. Venice ranks first with 264 crimes (over 70% of the region's total), 334 administrative offenses, and 36 seizures, consolidating its position as the most affected province, followed by Padua, Vicenza, and Verona, with 42, 21, and 21 crimes, respectively.

Nationally, there was a 14.4% increase in illegal environmental crimes compared to 2023. Despite some declines in criminal seizures (-29.5%) and administrative fines (-22.1%), the economic value of enforcement measures increased by nearly 67%. Luigi Lazzaro, president of Legambiente Veneto, commented: "We are calling on institutions to strengthen the staffing of regional agencies to ensure adequate controls, starting with the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) and the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. To provide maximum support to law enforcement, we must raise the bar on prevention, to stop crafty individuals or criminals who cause environmental damage and, above all, unfair competition for reputable businesses."