They controlled the drug market in Sannio: the boss Sperandeo, the two lieutenants and seven others were arrested

They controlled the drug market, but above all, they imposed extortion taxes on certain businesses and ran the illegal parking racket. Ten people were arrested for mafia-type criminal association, extortion, and drug trafficking. The operation, conducted by the Flying Squad of the Benevento Police Headquarters, was coordinated by the Naples District Anti-Mafia Directorate. The suspects all belong to the Sparandeo clan, including clan leader Corrado, 62, who, along with 59-year-old Carmine Morelli and 45-year-old Vincenzo Poccetti, allegedly organized bombings targeting businesses that refused to pay the extortion tax. The group "managed" the parking lot near Benevento's Ciro Vigorito municipal stadium, demanding sums of money without any justification from both illegal and legal parking attendants. To ensure control of the city, Corrado Sparandeo also maintained relationships with clans in Naples and the Valle Caudina. Carmine Morelli handled extortion activities on Sparandeo's behalf, also coordinating the work of Poccetti and the operational group composed of Stanislao Sparandeo, 40, Gabriele De Luca, 30, and Luigi Coviello, 45. To better monitor the activities of the companies targeted by the clan, the latter was even hired by one company. This insider's perspective allowed him to better quantify the economic activities and calculate the extortion money. At the same time, the organization also managed the drug market, coordinating with Neapolitan clans for the transport of hashish, marijuana, cocaine, and heroin into the Benevento area. Specifically, De Luca was allegedly the drug courier, transporting it from the Neapolitan hinterland to Benevento and acting as an intermediary between the clan and wholesale supplier Carmine Longobardo, active in the Castello di Cisterna area, who allegedly controlled and managed a group of drug transport collaborators, including 46-year-old Luigi Giannini. The investigation began in 2017, starting with an investigation into several businesses in Benevento. Wiretaps and surveillance then allowed the investigators to reconstruct the connections between various individuals involved, and 39-year-old Giovanni Piscopo and 32-year-old Gerardo Sparandeo also found themselves in trouble.