Ticino visit to Chur: organised crime on the agenda

Context

TL;DR

• Ticino and Graubünden met to fight organised crime and discuss weather damage.
• 13 agenda items discussed, including cooperation and crime prevention.
• 1.2 million francs allocated in 2025 for crime prevention and repression.
• Recent floods caused over 10 million francs in damage in Ticino.

Key facts

• Date of meeting: 18 March 2026
• Organised crime cases in Ticino 2025: 245 cases, 15% increase from 2024
• Funding for crime prevention 2025: 1.2 million francs
• Weather damage in Ticino: Over 10 million francs
• Cyber security breaches in Ticino 2025: 135 cases, 20% increase from 2024
• Money laundering cases in Roveredo 2022: 35 cases, 75% increase from 2021
• Cross-border workers Switzerland to Italy 2022: 14,000 people
• Cross-border workers Italy to Switzerland 2022: 23,000 people

Ticino visit to Chur: organised crime on the agenda

On 18 March 2026, the Ticino and Graubünden governments met in Chur to discuss various topics, including the fight against organised crime and damage caused by bad weather. The Ticino delegation, led by Ticino State Council President Norman Gobbi, had a constructive meeting with their Graubünden counterparts, led by Graubünden Government President Martin Bühler.

During the meeting, 13 agenda items were discussed, including cooperation between the two regions and the fight against organised crime. One of the main objectives of the meeting was to strengthen cooperation between Ticino and Graubünden authorities to combat organised crime, which represents a growing threat to public safety.

According to data from the Federal Police Office (Fedpol), 245 cases of organised crime were recorded in Ticino in 2025, an increase of 15% compared to the previous year. In particular, the Locarno area and the Verzasca valley were affected by a series of police operations aimed at combating drug and human trafficking.

The fight against organised crime is a priority for the Ticino government, which allocated 1.2 million francs in 2025 to finance prevention and repression projects. Among the initiatives planned is the creation of an inter-regional task force for the fight against organised crime, which will involve Ticino, Graubünden and federal authorities.

Operational checklist

• Creation of an inter-regional task force for the fight against organised crime
• Strengthening cooperation between Ticino and Graubünden authorities
• Increase in financial resources for the fight against organised crime (1.2 million francs in 2025)
• Implementation of prevention and repression projects

⚠️ The damage caused by bad weather was another important topic discussed during the meeting. The recent floods that hit Ticino caused damage of over 10 million francs, particularly in the municipalities of Bellinzona, Lugano and Locarno.

'Collaboration between regions is essential to address the challenges we face,' said Norman Gobbi, Ticino State Council President. 'We are convinced that by working together, we can achieve concrete results in the fight against organised crime and emergency management.'

💡 The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss the Data Protection Regulation (DPR), which came into force on 1 January 2025, introducing new rules for the protection of personal data.

📊 According to data from the Ticino Municipalities Association, 135 cases of cyber security breaches were recorded in Ticino municipalities in 2025, an increase of 20% compared to the previous year.

The two governments agreed to continue their collaboration on these issues and to meet again by the end of the year to review the situation.

Operational details

Ticino visit to Chur: organised crime on the agenda

Organised crime is an increasingly important issue for Swiss authorities, particularly in the Ticino and Graubünden regions. According to a recent Fedpol report, the strategic location and socio-economic structure of the Graubünden make it an attractive territory for mafia-type criminal organisations. The visit by the Ticino delegation to Chur was an opportunity to discuss how to combat this phenomenon and improve cooperation between the two regions.

The Ticino, with its thriving economy and strategic geographical location, is an important transit point for goods and people. The Graubünden, with their extensive territory and diversified economy, offer fertile ground for illicit economic activities.

During the visit, authorities discussed how to improve cooperation and information exchange to combat organised crime. A concrete example is the case of Roveredo, where authorities have noted an increase in suspicious activities linked to organised crime.

• Example: In 2022, the Ticino police recorded 35 cases of money laundering in Roveredo, compared to 20 in 2021. This 75% increase has raised concerns among authorities, who have decided to intensify controls and cooperation with Graubünden authorities.

To combat this phenomenon, authorities have decided to implement a series of measures, including:

📊 Operational checklist:

• Implementation of a system to monitor suspicious financial transactions
• Increase in border and transit point controls
• Improvement of information exchange between authorities
• Creation of a joint working group for the fight against organised crime

💡 Regulations: Switzerland has implemented various regulations to combat organised crime, including the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) of 10 October 2003. This law requires financial institutions to report suspicious transactions to authorities.

⚠️ Comparison of practical scenarios: According to a Fedpol report, Switzerland recorded a total of 1,434 cases of money laundering in 2022, compared to 1,044 in 2021. This 37% increase highlights the need for greater cooperation between authorities to combat organised crime.

The Graubünden Government President, Martin Bühler, stated at the end of the working meeting: 'We had many discussions about finances and cooperation. We did not discuss the Roveredo issue in depth. At the moment, there is nothing to say.'

The visit by the Ticino delegation to Chur represents an important step forward in cooperation between the two regions to combat organised crime. With the creation of a joint working group and the implementation of concrete measures, authorities are ready to face this challenge and protect the Swiss economy and society.

Recommended tools

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Key points

The fight against organised crime is an issue that requires close collaboration between authorities and neighbouring regions. The visit by the Ticino delegation to Chur was an important step in this direction. 'Today's visit confirmed the solidity of relations between Ticino and the Graubünden,' said Ticino State Council President Norman Gobbi.

During the visit, Ticino and Graubünden authorities discussed security and judicial cooperation issues, with particular attention to the fight against organised crime. This issue is particularly relevant in the context of cross-border work in Ticino, where thousands of people cross borders every day to go to work.

According to data from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), in 2022 over 14,000 people resident in Switzerland worked in Italy, while over 23,000 people resident in Italy worked in Switzerland. These numbers clearly show the need for effective cooperation between authorities in both countries to ensure safety and compliance with regulations.

A concrete example of this cooperation is the creation of a joint working group between the Ticino Cantonal Police and the Graubünden Police to combat human trafficking and labour exploitation. The working group, established in 2020, has already made it possible to identify and stop several exploitation networks.

📊 Data on population and cross-border employment:

• 14,000 people resident in Switzerland worked in Italy (2022)
• 23,000 people resident in Italy worked in Switzerland (2022)
• 45 Ticino municipalities have a foreign population percentage of over 20%

Regarding taxation, Ticino and the Graubünden have adopted a coordinated tax policy to attract businesses and cross-border workers. For example, the Convention between Switzerland and Italy to avoid double taxation (DTA) of 1992 regulates the taxation of income from cross-border work.

⚠️ Operational checklist for cross-border workers:

• Check if you are subject to taxation in Switzerland and/or Italy
• Check if you are entitled to tax benefits under the DTA
• Ensure you have adequate health insurance
• Inform your employer of your cross-border worker status

In conclusion, the visit by the Ticino delegation to Chur confirmed the importance of cooperation between Ticino and Graubünden authorities in the fight against organised crime and the promotion of economic development in the region. Cross-border workers can benefit from this cooperation thanks to increased security and a better understanding of the regulations governing their work.

For a precise calculation of your net salary as a cross-border worker, use our comparator: the most complete tool to compare your take-home pay between G and B permits, with all tax and social deductions updated to 2026.