Rome
CNN
—
A Chinese couple allegedly tied to Chinese Triad gangs and a turf war over the lucrative textile industry were assassinated in Rome Monday night, the Italian Carabinieri said in a statement.
Zhang Dayong, 53, and his wife Gong Xiaoqing, 38, were fatally shot in the backs of their heads while riding bicycles after unidentified assailants on a motorcycle opened fire in the Pigneto district of the capital where they were staying.
Police say at least six bullets were fired. Gun violence is extremely rare in Italy, even in cases involving organized crime, where strict gun laws make it difficult to own or carry firearms.
Police say the motive is likely tied to the so-called “war of hangers” among Chinese criminal gangs who specialize in the textile sector, especially fast fashion factories in the Tuscan town of Prato, near Florence, police said at a press conference Tuesday.
Zhang, who went by the nickname “Asheng” was on trial along with 78 other people in Florence accused of coordinating illegal criminal operations across Italy, France, Germany and Spain.
He was due to testify in the coming weeks and thought to be the second in command of one of the most powerful gangs that operates in Europe, according to documents tied to the court proceedings. Zhang denied the allegations and CNN reached out to his lawyer for comment.
The trial is a result of a 2018 investigation called “China Truck” looking into trafficking of people and textiles tied to Chinese mafia-style gangs across Europe, according to Italy’s Anti-Mafia Directorate, which conducted the original investigation.
The double homicide is being investigated as a revenge killing, police say. No suspects have been apprehended.
Police say that the murder could signal a break in allegiances among the “cartels” that run the garment sector. There has been a spike in violence, including a string of attempted murders, arsons and assaults in Tuscany, Madrid and Paris tied to the gangs.
CNN has approached the Chinese embassy in Rome for comment.
