The paper investigates the link between organized crime and Italy’s publicly-funded asylum seekers’ reception facilities. We gather detailed municipal-level data on the location of mafia activities and SPRAR-type reception centres, and provide evidence of how the local presence of mafia increases the likelihood of hosting reception facilities. Statistical evidence and in–depth expert interviews suggest that organized crime correlates with less transparent tendering procedures in the set-up of such centres, while hosting activities increase after local governments are infiltrated by mafias. Overall, results underscore the importance of measures aimed at contrasting organised crime, especially at times of ‘crises’ when public policy is subject to ‘states of exception’.