Since 2018, after the release of its leaders, especially the boss Giuseppe, known as Peppe e' Pesacane, the Pesacane clan had resumed its activities, re-establishing ties with the Gallo-Limelli-Vangone families.
They had reinvented themselves in drug trafficking, extortion and loan sharking, also involving local entrepreneurs as front men. Yesterday, 21 people were arrested in a large blitz conducted by the Carabinieri of the Torre Annunziata Group against the Pesacane clan, active between Boscoreale and Boscotrecase.
According to the authorities, the group was led by the five Pesacane brothers, all arrested yesterday on a warrant from the Naples court. The charge includes crimes such as mafia-type criminal association, drug trafficking, usury, money laundering, all aggravated by the mafia method. The clan financed itself through usury and extortion.
The extortion was imposed on entrepreneurs and traders in the area, with threats and violence in case of refusal. The clan also ran a slot machine ring in local betting shops, extorting 5% of the profits from a supplier company. The victims of the usury, including shop owners, workers and entrepreneurs, were forced to repay thousands of euros in interest on small initial loans.
After the arrest of the clan leader Peppe “o Pesacane”, his brother “Franchino” took care of paying the salaries of the affiliates and the prisoners. Gabriele, nicknamed “Sandro”, was the financier and custodian of the weapons.
Martire and Ranieri carried out armed patrols during the tensions with the Gallo-Limelli-Vangone and participated in extortion together with Pasquale Pesacane. The young Galise was the driver of the boss Giuseppe Pesacane, while Carotenuto was involved in usury and reinvested the profits in a car dealership.
“Sandro” Pesacane laundered the proceeds of usury in a flower and cemetery items shop in Terzigno and in fuel distributors through front men. Finally, Francesco Caso controlled the drug dealing square in Piazza Vargas in Boscoreale. The Pesacane clan had reincarnated, perpetrating illicit activities in the territory.
The clan obtained its drugs from the sister of the deceased clan leader Vangone and ran a drug dealing center in Piazza Vargas in Boscoreale.
Extortion
The clan imposed protection money on several entrepreneurs and traders as far as Terzigno and Trecase. Among the victims were shopkeepers, funeral homes and a company that supplied slot machines to betting centres. Those who refused to pay ended up being threatened and beaten.
Wear
The clan's real business was related to usury. The victims were forced to repay exorbitant interest on small loans.
The arrested
Among those arrested are the five Pesacane brothers: Giuseppe, Francesco, Gabriele, Pasquale and Salvatore. Others arrested are:
Giovanni Galise, driver of the boss Giuseppe Pesacane;
Antonio Carotenuto, involved in usury activities;
Francesco Caso, known as “vrzetiell”, who controlled the drug dealing area in Piazza Vargas;
Antonio Martire and Salvatore Ranieri, who carried out real armed patrols.
And then the emerging Nicola Galise, Alessandro Carotenuto and Raffaele Solimeno, and also Francesco Curcio, Francesco Caso and Pasquale Ferricelli.
Azzeddine Janani, Francesco Severino, Gennaro Russo, Ferdinando Cirillo, Gilberto Natale, Rosaria Vangone (sister of the deceased clan leader), Carmela Gallo and Pasquale Ingenito were instead placed under house arrest.
(in the photo from left the boss Giuseppe Pesacane and the brothers Umberto, Francesco and Gabriele)
