Guardia di Finanza

The Guardia di Finanza (GdF) (Italian pronunciation: [ˈɡwardja di fiˈnantsa]; English: Financial Guard) is an Italian law enforcement agency under the authority of the Minister of Economy and Finance and part of the Italian armed forces. It is essentially responsible for dealing with financial crime and smuggling; it has also evolved into Italy's primary agency for suppressing the drugs trade. As a military corps, it maintains over 600 boats and ships and more than 100 aircraft to serve in its mission of patrolling Italy's territorial waters.

Roles

The mission and institutional tasks of Guardia di Finanza are stated in the law 189 of April 23, 1959 and 68/2001 and are subdivided into priority ones (preventing, investigating and reporting financial evasions and violations, overseeing the compliance with the provisions of politico-economic interest and surveillance at sea for financial police purposes) and contribution ones (maintaining public order and safety and political-military defense of the borders).

The Guardia di Finanza has around 68,000 servicemen (agents, NCOs, and officers). Its personnel are in service in the Europol and OLAF (European Agency of Fight against Fraud). Its Latin motto since 1933 has been Nec recisa recedit (Italian: Neanche spezzata retrocede, English: Does not retreat even if broken).

Its activities are connected with financial, economic, judiciary and public safety: tax evasion, financial crimes, smuggling, money laundering, international illegal drug trafficking, illegal immigration, customs and borders checks, copyright violations, anti-Mafia operations, credit card fraud, cybercrime, counterfeiting, terrorist financing, maintaining public order, and safety, political and military defense of the Italian borders.

Members have been known to occasionally demand VAT receipts for items from members of the public who have recently bought an item, dined at a restaurant, or otherwise incurred VAT; prior to 2003, failure to produce one could lead to a substantial fine on the customer as well as the seller. ^[2] As of October 2003, the customer no longer incurs a fine.^[3]

History

Light Troops Legion (1774)

Guardia di Finanza police in central Rome.

Patrol boat of the Guardia di Finanza.

The origins of the Guardia di Finanza date back to October 5, 1774, when the “Light Troops Legion” (Legione truppe leggere) was set up under the King of Sardinia, Victor Amadeus III. This was the first example in Italy of a special corps established and organized for financial surveillance duties along the borders, as well as for military defense.

Customs Guards Corps (1862)

Once the unification of Italy was completed in 1862, the "Customs Guards Corps" (Corpo delle Guardie doganali) was set up. Its main task was Customs surveillance and co-participation in the Country’s defense during war time.

Corpo della Regia Guardia di Finanza (1881)

By Law no. 141 dated April 8, 1881, the Customs Guards Corps became the "Corps of the Royal Finance Guard" (Corpo della Regia Guardia di Finanza) whose task was to "impede, suppress and report smuggling activities and any other violation and transgression of financial laws and regulations", and to safeguard the interests of the tax administration, as well as to co-participate in enforcing law and order and public security.

Twentieth century

By Royal Decree dated July 14, 1907, the Corps was issued 5-point star uniforms to mark its military status, even though the Army’s military discipline regulation was extended to the Financial Guard by Law dated July 12, 1908. The Corps served in the two World Wars and in the War of National Liberation, deserving 18 awards to its War Flag, which had been granted in 1914 to decree the total integration among the Italian Armed Forces.

Subsequently, the Corps took part in numerous rescue operations during serious natural disasters; for this commitment the Corps was decorated with 13 additional civil valor awards.

The re-organization of the police forces in 1919 also affected the Royal Guardia di Finanza. The responsibilities were divided between the Inspector General, who was an Army Officer with the rank of Lieutenant General responsible for military preparation, and the Commanding General, who was a Financial Guard Officer subordinate to the former, but authorized to maintain direct relations with the Minister for ordinary institutional duties and for personnel management. In 1923, the "Investigative Tax Police" was set up as a specialized branch of the Royal Financial Guard. Within a few years, its naval fleet, motor-vehicles and telecommunication structure underwent a complete change; the Statistical Service equipped with a data processing centre, the Air Service and the Canine Service (for anti-drugs checks) were set up. During the same years, the Corps’ general organization was defined pursuant to Law no. 189 dated April 23, 1959, which laid down its institutional tasks, subsequently amended by specific sector provisions assigning certain responsibilities.

Recent history

Besides the review of its organizational structure, laid out by the issuance of Presidential Decree Law no. 34 dated January 29, 1999, the updating of the Corps’ institutional tasks was completed. Law Decree no. 68, dated March 19, 2001, whilst confirming the Corps’ configuration as a military structure, enhanced its role as a police force having general competence on all economic, financial and judicial matters for the safeguard of the public budget and that of the regions, of the local authorities and of the European Union.

The Guardia di Finanza Historical Museum is custodian of the traditions of the Corps. It preserves artifacts of relevance to the Guardia di Finanza and promotes historical research, to aid researchers, scholars and military history enthusiasts.

Guardia di finanza Agusta AW139

Anti-drug operations

From the statistic data of the anti-drug service central Direction, of the Department of the Interior,the 60% of the drug seized in Italy by all the strengths of law enforcement is found by the Guardia di Finanza. In 2005, the Financial Guard was responsible for 77% of the Heroin seizures, 69% of Cocaine seizures and 54% of cannabis (including Hashish) seizures.

The Chiasso financial smuggling case

On June 3, 2009 near Chiasso, Switzerland (near the Swiss/Italian border), officers of the Corps detained two Japanese nationals in their 50s who had attempted to enter Switzerland and had in their possession a suitcase with a false bottom containing U.S. Treasury Bonds worth $134.5 billion.^[4][5][6] These later turned out to be counterfeit.^[7]

Ranks

The Guardia di Finanza utilises a system of rank similar to that of the Italian Army

• General of Army Corps with special responsibilities - Commandant General (Generale di Corpo d'Armata con incarichi speciali - Comandante Generale) (Lieutenant-General)
• General of Army Corps - Second-in-Command (Generale di Corpo d'Armata - Comandante in Seconda) (Lieutenant-General)
• General of Army Corps (Generale di Corpo d'Armata) (Lieutenant-General)
• Divisional General posted to a higher grade - recorded as such (Generale di Divisione - incarico grado superiore - iscritto in quadro) (Major-General)
• Divisional General posted to a higher grade - not recorded as such (Generale di Divisione - incarico grado superiore - non iscritto in quadro) (Major-General)
• Divisional General (Generale di Divisione) (Major-General)
• Brigade General posted to a higher grade - recorded as such (Generale di Brigata - incarico grado superiore - iscritto in quadro) (Brigadier-General)
• Brigade General posted to a higher grade - not recorded as such (Generale di Brigata - incarico grado superiore - non iscritto in quadro) (Brigadier General)
• Brigade General (Generale di Brigata) (Brigadier General)
• Colonel posted to a higher grade - recorded as such (Colonnello - incarico grado superiore - iscritto in quadro) (Senior Colonel/Brigadier)
• Colonel posted to a higher grade - not recorded as such (Colonnello - incarico grado superiore - non iscritto in quadro) (Senior Colonel/Brigadier)
• Colonel - Corps Commandant (Colonnello - Comandante di Corpo) (Colonel-Commandant/Brigadier)
• Colonel (Colonnello)
• Lieutenant-Colonel posted to a higher grade - recorded as such (Tenente Colonnello - incarico grado superiore - iscritto in quadro) (Senior Lieutenant Colonel)
• Lieutenant-Colonel posted to a higher grade - not recorded as such/Corps Commandant (Tenente Colonnello - incarico grado superiore - non iscritto in quadro/Comandante di Corpo) (Senior Lieutenant Colonel)
• Lieutenant-Colonel posted to a higher grade - not recorded as such (Tenente Colonnello - incarico grado superiore - non iscritto in quadro) (Senior Lieutenant Colonel)
• Lieutenant-Colonel - Corps Commandant (Tenente Colonnello - Comandante di Corpo) (Senior Lieutenant Colonel)
• Lieutenant Colonel (Tenente Colonnello)
• Major - Corps Commandant (Maggiore - Comandante di Corpo)
• Major (Maggiore)
• Senior Captain (Primo Capitano)
• Captain (Capitano)
• Lieutenant - Company Commander and Naval Base Commandant when vacant (Tenente - Comandante di Compagnia e Stazione Navale in sede vacante)
• Lieutenant (Tenente)
• Second Lieutenant (Sottotenente)
• Inspector - Lieutenant (Ispettore - Luogotenente) (Conductor/Command Sergeant Major/Warrant Officer)
• Inspector - Adjutant Marshal(Ispettore - Maresciallo Aiutante) (Warrant Officer Class I/Command Sergeant Major)
• Inspector - Chief Marshal (Ispettore - Maresciallo Capo) (Warrant Officer Class I/Sergeant Major)
• Inspector - Ordinary Marshal (Ispettore - Maresciallo Ordinario) (Quartermaster Sergeant/First Sergeant)
• Inspector - Marshal (Ispettore - Maresciallo) (Warrant Officer Class II/Master Sergeant)
• Superintendent - Chief Brigadier (Sovrintendenti - Brigadiere Capo) (Staff Sergeant/Sergeant First Class)
• Superintendent - Brigadier (Sovrintendenti - Brigadiere) (Sergeant/Staff Sergeant)
• Superintendent - Vice Brigadier (Sovrintendenti - Vice Brigadiere) (Lance Sergeant/Sergeant)
• Select Appointee (Appuntato scelto) (Corporal)
• Appointee (Appuntato) (Lance Corporal/Private First Class)
• Select Revenue Officer (Finanziere scelto) (Private/Private E-2)
• Revenue Officer (Finanziere) (Private/Private E-1)

^[8]

Unit awards

The unit awards, as depicted on the unit coat-of-arms, are:

• 3 blue and gold ribbons for 3 Gold Medals of Military Valour
• 4 white and gold ribbons for 4 Silver Medals of Military Valour
• 1 blue ribbon with VI for six Bronze Medals of Military Valour
• 1 blue and white ribbon with II for two Crosses of Military Valour
• 1 green-white-red ribbon with IX for nine Gold Medals of Civil Valour
• 1 blue and red ribbon, with a cross, for 5 Knight's Crosses of the Military Order of Italy

Awards not included in the coat of arms but are included in its State Color are:

• 1 Gold Medal of Valor of the Finance Guard (2011)
• 1 Silver Medal of Civil Valor
• 9 Gold Medals of Civil Merit
• 2 separate Medals of Merited Service in Earthquake Relief (1908 and 1915, respectively)
• 2 Medals of Benemerited Financial Service
• 6 Gold Medals of Benemerited Service to Education, Culture and the Arts
• 2 Gold Medals of Benemerited Service to Public Health
• 2 Gold Medals of Benemerited Service to the Environment
• 1 Gold Medal of Merit of the Department of Civil Defense
• 3 Gold Medals of Merit of the Italian Red Cross
• UN Peacekeeping Medal (for service as part of UNMIK Kosovo 1995-2004)
• Gold Medal of the Eagle of the Republic of Albania (1997-2005)
• Military Double Gold Star of Sports Merit (2007)

Special departments

• Gruppo di Investigazione Criminalità Organizzata (GICO): Organized Crime Investigation Group.
• Gruppo Operativo Antidroga (GOA): Counter-narcotics Group
• Gruppo Anticrimine Tecnologico (GAT): Counter-cybercrime Group
• Comando Operativo Aeronavale (ROAN): Air-Naval Operational Command
• Gruppo Tutela Patrimonio Archeologico: Stolen Art Recovery Group
• Antiterrorismo Pronto Impiego (ATPI): Antiterrorism and Rapid Response Service
• Servizio Cinofili: Police Dog Division (K9).

Weapons

• Pistols: Beretta 92, and Beretta 84 BB
• Submachine gun: Beretta PM 12 S2
• Assault rifle: Beretta SC70/90
• Combat shotgun: SPAS-12
• Sniper rifle: Sako TRG-22/42

Vehicles

Cars

• Fiat Grande Punto
• Fiat Nuova Panda
• Land Rover Range Rover
• Fiat Croma
• Alfa Romeo Giulia
• Alfa Romeo 156
• Alfa Romeo 159
• Fiat Bravo
• Fiat Stilo 1.9 JTD
• Land Rover Freelander
• Land Rover Defender
• Iveco Massif
• Iveco Daily
• Isuzu D-Max
• Fiat Scudo
• Land Rover Discovery
• Nissan Navara

Fixed-wing aircraft

Type	Origin	Picture	In service [9]	Note
ATR42-400MP	Italy  France		4
Piaggio P.166DP1	Italy		8
Piaggio P.180 Avanti II	Italy		2

Helicopters

Type	Origin	Picture	In service	Note
AgustaWestland AW139	Italy		2
Agusta-Bell AB 412	Italy		22
Agusta A109AII / A109C / AW109N	Italy		33
Nardi Hughes NH-500MC / NH-500MD	Italy		28

Vessels^[10]

Patrol boats

Ship	Launched	Commissioned	Shipyard Origin	Picture	Displacement	Length	Max speed knots	Weapon	Note
Cutters
P580 class:[11] P01 Monte Sperone [12] P02 Monte Cimone	7.10.2013 [13] 5.11.2013	8.2014 [14] 12.2014	[htCantere Navale Vittoria - Rovigo on Damen Stan Patrol 5509[15] plans  Italy  Netherlands		460 t	58 m	28,2	- 1 x Oerlikon 1S, 20/70 mm - 2 MG 42/59 x 7,62 mm
Zara class II batch P03 Denaro [16]		28.3.1998	Fincantieri Spa - Cantieri Navali del Muggiano (La Spezia)  Italy		320 t	51 m	35	1 x Breda 30/82 mm 2 x MG 42/59 7,62 mm
Mazzei class Bigliani - Batch IV (Intermarine MV 115) : G.1 Mazzei [17] G.2 Vaccaro [18]		4.1998 5.1998 [19]	Cantiere Navale Intermarine Spa - Sarzana (La Spezia)  Italy		116 t	35,5 m	38	1 x Breda 30/82 mm 2 x MG 42/59 7,62 mm
Di Bartolo class Bigliani - Batch V (Intermarine MV 115):[20] G.3 Di Bartolo G.4 Avallone [21] G.5 Oltramonti [22] G.6 Barbarisi [23] G.7 Sottotenente Paolini [24]	26.2.2003 [25] 28.5.2003 16.7.2003 [26] 26.7.2006 [27] 26.7.2006 [27]	3.10.2003 [28][29] 29.1.2004 [28] 24.6.2004 [30] 12.7.2007 [31] 20.12.2007 [32]	Cantiere Navale Intermarine Spa - Sarzana (La Spezia)  Italy		134 t	35,5 m	35	1 x Breda 30/82 mm 2 x MG 42/59 7,62 mm
Di Bartolo class Bigliani - Batch VII (Intermarine MV 115):[33] G.8 Brigadiere Greco [34] G.9 Cinus [35]	9.2.2007 [36] 23.7.2007 [37]	15.5.2008 [38] 14.10.2008 [39]	Cantiere Navale Intermarine Spa - Sarzana (La Spezia)  Italy		137 t	36,5 m	35	1 x Breda 30/82 mm 2 x MG 42/59 7,62 mm
Corrubia class Batch II:[40] G.92 Alberti G.93 Angelini G.94 Cappelletti G.95 Ciorlieri [41] G.96 D'Amato G.97 Fais G.98 Feliciani G.99 Garzone G.100 Lippi G.101 Lombardi [42] G.102 Miccoli G.103 Trezza [43]		12 x Batch II: between 1995/1997	Cantieri Navali del Golfo - Gaeta (Latina) (first 11 hulls) Cantiere Navale Intermarine Spa - Sarzana (La Spezia)  Italy		92,12 t	26,8 m	43	1 x Breda 30/82 mm 2 x MG 42/59 7,62 mm
Corrubia class Batch III:[44] G.104 Apruzzi G.105 Ballali G.106 Bovienzo [45] G.107 Carreca [46] G.108 Conversano [47] G.109 Inzerilli [48] G.110 Letizia G.111 Mazzarella G.112 Nioi G.113 Partipilo [49] G.114 Puleo G.115 Zanotti	G.108 1998 G.109 1998 G.113 1999		Cantiere Navale Intermarine Spa - Sarzana (La Spezia)  Italy		94 t	26,8 m	43	1 x Royal Ordnance GAM B01 “Astra” 20/85 mm 2 x MG 42/59 7,62 mm
Bigliani class Batch III (Intermarine MV 85):[50] G.78 Ottonelli [51] G.79 Barletta [52] G.88 La Malfa G.89 Rosati	1996 1996 1997 1997	1996 1996 1997 1997	Cantiere Navale Intermarine Spa - Sarzana (La Spezia)  Italy		95 t	27 m	43	1 x Breda 30/82 mm 2 x MG 42/59 7,62 mm
Bigliani class Batch VI (Intermarine MV 85):[53] G.116 Laganà G.117 Sanna G.118 Inzucchi G.119 Vitali G.120 Calabrese [54] G.121 Urso [55] G.122 La Spina [56] G.123 Salone G.124 Cavatorto G.125 Fusco	18.9.2003 [57] 18.12.2003 [58] 12.3.2004 [59] 12.6.2004 [19] 28.7.2004 [19] 22.10.2004 [60] 28.1.2005 [61] 29.4.2005 [62] 28.7.2005 [63] 20.12.2005 [64]	2004 2004 2004 2005 2005 5.5.2006 [65] 1.6.2006 [65] 19.7.2006 [65] 20.12.2006 [66] 2006	Cantiere Navale Intermarine Spa - Sarzana (La Spezia)  Italy		95 t	27 m	43	1 x OTO Melara Hitrole 503 NT 12,7 mm 2 x MG 42/59 7,62 mm
Bigliani class Batch VIII (Intermarine MV 85):[67] G.126 Salvatore De Rosa [68] G.127 Finanziere Zoccola G.128 Vicebrigadiere Stanisci G.129 Finanziere Sottile G.130 Vicebrigadiere De Falco	29.9.2007 [69] 17.12.2007 [70] 10.4.2008 [71] 27.6.2008 21.10.2008 [72]	/ 21.10.2009 [73] 4.3.2010 [74] 21.4.2010 [75] 22.9.2010 [76]	Cantiere Navale Intermarine Spa - Sarzana (La Spezia)  Italy		98,97 t	28,2 m	40	1 x OTO Melara Hitrole 503 NT 12,7 mm 2 x MG 42/59 7,62 mm
Buratti class:[77] G.200 Brigadiere Buratti G.201 Generale De Ianni [78] G.202 Appuntato Salerno G.203 Collonnello Rossi G.204 Giuseppe Garulli G.205 Gabriele Sanges G.206 Finanziere Corrias G.207 Maresciallo Cortile G.208 Maresciallo Casotti G.209 Brigadiere Prata G.210 Finanziere Marra [79] G.211 Appuntato Gottardi G.212 Finanziere Lapiccirella G.213 Finanziere Perissinotto G.214 Finanziere Rocca G.215 Finanziere Pertoldi G.216 Finanziere Verdecchia [80] G.217 Finanziere De Santis G.218 Maresciallo Piccinni Leopardi G.219 Finanziere Bianco G.220 Finanziere Starace G.221 Capitano Cultrona G.222 Sottotenente Benvenuti	G.200 23.7.2007 G.201 31.1.2008 G.202 27.6.2008 G.203 27.6.2008 G.204 21.10.2008	G.200 2007 G.201 6.2.2008 G.202 11.2.2010 [81] G.203 15.3.2010 [82] G.204 22.3.2010 [83] G.205 3.2011 G.206 21.1.2011 [84] G.207 11.2.2011 [85] G.208 18.2.2011 [86] G.209 25.3.2011 [87] G.211 23.9.2011 [88] others between 2012/2014	Intermarine Spa, Sarzana (La Spezia) - Rodriguez, Messina Effebi - Viareggio  Italy		56 t	22 m	30	1 x Browning M2 HB 12,7 mm
Meattini class:[89] G.64 Darida		1972/1978	Cantieri Navali Baglietto - Varazze Cantieri Navali di Chiavari Italcraft – Lavagna (Genova) Picchiotti - La Spezia Navaltecnica - Messina  Italy		40 t	20,1 m	35	1 x Browning M2 HB 12,7 mm	57 delivered on Cantieri Navali Baglietto - Varazze plans

Motorboats

Ship	Launched	Commissioned	Shipyard Origin	Picture	Displacement	Length	Max speed knots	Weapon	Note
Motorboats
5500 class:[90] V.5503 V.5513 V.5514 V.5521 V.5523 V.5528 V.5534-5535 V.5541 V.5545 V.5549 V.5552 V.5555 V.5560 V.5566 V.5569 V.5573 V.5577 V.5579		1979/1981	Crestitalia Spa - Ameglia (La Spezia) Italcraft - Gaeta (Latina)  Italy		7,85 t	12,05 m	33	1 x MG 42/59 7,62 mm	82 delivered, all on Crestitalia plans
5800 class:[91] V.5802 V.5805 V.5812 V.5814-5815 V.5819 V.5826		1979/1984	Motomar Spa - Lavagna (Genova) Cantiere Navale Ascolani - San Benedetto del Tronto (Ascoli Piceno) Mericraft - Napoli Cantieri Balsamo Shipping Srl - Brindisi Cantieri San Prospero - Anagni (Frosinone)  Italy		15,6 t	12,57 m	26	1 x MG 42/59 7,62 mm	33 delivered Motomar Spa project on hulls "Keith Nelson" type

Inland waters motoboats

Ship	Launched	Commissioned	Shipyard Origin	Picture	Displacement	Length	Max speed knots	Weapon	Note
Inland waters motorboats
V.A.I. 500 class: VAI 500-506			Italy
V.A.I. 400 class: VAI 405 VAI 407-409			Italy
V.A.I. 300 class:[92] VAI 300-307			Italy		3 t	7,8 m	30
V.A.I. 200 class:[93] VAI 204-206 VAI 210 VAI 217 VAI 220-221 VAI 227-229 VAI 232 VAI 239 VAI 244 VAI 246 VAI 248 VAI 253 VAI 264 VAI 267-268 [94] VAI 270		Batch I: 44 in 1986 Batch II: 43 in 1990	Cantiere Navale di Baia (Napoli) FIART Cantieri Navali Italiani - Biaia (Napoli)  Italy		3,54 t	8,9 m	35
V.A.I. 100 class Hurricane 920 OB-Cabin [95]			Zodiac  France		3,3 t	9,14 m	46

Sailing vessels

Ship	Launched	Commissioned	Shipyard Origin	Picture	Displacement	Length	Max speed knots	Weapons	Note
Sailing vessels
Grifone [96]	2002	2013	Sarasota Shipyards (Florida)		47 t	28,42 m			Rivolta 90 type ex Moorning Star Confiscated hull in 4.2012

Training ships

Ship	Launched	Commissioned	Shipyard Origin	Picture	Displacement	Length	Max speed knots	Weapon	Note
School ship
Giorgio Cini [97]	11.2.1970	3.11.1984	Cantieri Navali A. Lucchese - Venezia  Italy		770 t	54 m	13,5	- 1 x Browning M2 HB 12,7 mm - 1 MG 42/59 x 7,62 mm	Purchased 27.4.1983
Sailing ships
Grifone III (Barca Vela Grifone Fiamme Gialle III) [98]	1987		Cantiere Navale D'Ambrosi - Lavagna (Genova)  Italy		24 t	18,29 m	10		Sloop Launched as White Angel Confiscated hull
Grifone IV (Barca Vela Grifone Fiamme Gialle IV) [98]	1991	2001	“Beneteau S.A.” - Saint Hilaire de Riez (Francia)  France		14 t	15,36 m	8		Oceanis 501 type ex Trottolina Confiscated hull in 1995 by Stazione Navale di Genova

References