Video game smuggling gang shut down in Italy -.

When we think of human trafficking, we rarely combine trafficking with video games. However, it seems there is good money to be made selling fake retro consoles and counterfeit titles to consumers.

Fake Mario, Street Fighter and Star Wars games from the 1980s and 1990s were seized by Italian police (thanks, BBC), including about 12,000 fake consoles that did not meet security standards. The consoles contained a total of more than 47 million games. The haul had an estimated value of €47 million and had been imported from China to be sold in specialty stores and online.

As the demand for nostalgic slot machines continues, we are likely to see more people trying to make a quick buck from them. If you’re looking for retro gaming, it’s worth making sure you buy from a good seller, otherwise you could end up with a cheap knock-off.