Italian authorities say forgers tried to sell fake Picasso, Modiglianis and others with help of complicit auction houses.

Some 38 people across are under investigation on suspicion of conspiracy to handle stolen goods, forgery, and illegal sale of artworks.

More than 2,100 counterfeit pieces were seized, including works falsely attributed to Banksy, Andy Warhol, and Pablo Picasso. A total of 38 individuals were arrested in connection with the forgeries, which had a potential sale value of approximately $213 million.

Italian police have uncovered a large-scale pan-European forgery network that makes and sells fake artworks attributed to some of the biggest names

According to Italian officials, a criminal network operating across Europe has forged artworks by Banksy, Picasso, and Warhol. An international operation resulted in the seizure of more than 2,100 forged pieces across Italy,

Italian police have uncovered a large-scale pan-European forgery network making and selling fake artworks attributed to some of the biggest names in modern and contemporary art, including Banksy, Pablo Picasso,

Italian police say they have exposed a vast forgery network operating across Europe, dealing in counterfeit artworks attributed to some of the most celebrated artists of the modern and contemporary eras.

Over 2,100 pieces of forged artwork were recovered, which were supposedly by Banksy, Salvador Dalí, Gustav Klimt, Joan Miró, Andy Warhol, and Pablo Picasso, and were potentially worth about €200m (£165m).