A prominent Chinese organized crime figure and his partner were executed in a brazen, mafia-style double murder in Rome on Monday, a killing that Italian police say may signal a shift in the balance of power within Europe's Chinese underworld.
Zhang Dayong, 53, also known as "Asheng," and his partner Gong Xiaoqing, 38, were fatally shot in the back of the head while cycling near their residence in the Pigneto district of eastern Rome. Police said the attack was carried out by assailants on a motorcycle who fired at least six rounds before fleeing the scene.
Authorities suspect the killings are linked to the so-called "Coat Hanger Wars," a violent turf battle among Chinese Triad-linked gangs competing for control of the fast fashion logistics pipeline across Europe. The struggle, originating in the Tuscan textile hub of Prato, has escalated in recent years with attempted murders, arsons, and assaults reported in Italy, Spain, and France.
Zhang was a key figure in the sprawling criminal network under investigation in the long-running "China Truck" case. Prosecutors allege he helped oversee illegal activities ranging from underground gambling and extortion to human trafficking and money laundering. He was one of 79 individuals currently on trial in Florence and was expected to testify in the coming weeks.
Italian anti-mafia prosecutors said Zhang worked under Naizhong Zhang, a powerful alleged Triad leader who amassed a near-monopoly on goods distribution across Europe through a campaign of threats and violence against Chinese business owners. Naizhong Zhang denies the charges.
