ITALY: Lire on the Lam

The Mercedes limousine glided to a halt at the Italian customs booth in Ventimiglia on the French frontier. The uniformed chauffeur airily pronounced the ritual phrase "Niente da dichiarare" (Nothing to declare). The passenger in the back seat was Carlo Aloisi, 60, one of Italy's leading bankers and businessmen. Normally, the driver would have been taken at his word and waved on. This time, though, the customs guard made a rare, fortuitous spot check. Digging deep into Aloisi's elegant black briefcase, the guard discovered contraband promissory notes and commercial paper valued at $3.1 million. Under the provisions of Italy's...

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