Naples. There are twenty-nine suspects from the “Ponticelli system” involved in the investigation by the Naples DDA which this morning led to the arrest of 12 members of the De Luca Bossa-Casella clan, while three others from the De Martino clan, the famous XX of the Fiat district, ended up under house arrest.
Article Key Points
The investigation is related to a system of extortion across the board set up by the clan in addition to Ponticelli also in the nearby Cercola and in particular the Caravita area. They spare no one from cigarette street vendors, to car and scooter thieves, to drug dealing square managers to end up as entrepreneurs and traders.
Variable protection money rates even if they referred to the same goods because it depended on who was requesting it. For example 100 or 200 euros per week for those who committed the thefts, 100 euros per week to the manager of the smuggled cigarette stall. But also from 200 euros up to 500 euros per week to the various managers of the drug dealing squares in Cercola.
And speaking of a smuggler, the conversation intercepted with two of those arrested today, Domenico Gianniello and Luca La Penna, is emblematic. “In Ponticelli, we, Bartolo Longo, are in charge, if those of Fiat District, the Xx, you have to tell them that we are in charge and you have to pay us. If you pay them you have to pay us too… we'll come”.
In the approximately 100 pages of the precautionary order signed by the investigating judge Marcello De Chiara there are many statements by the repentant Rosario Rolletta who, regarding Salvatore De Martino, says that at that time he was the head of the homonymous gang, although due to the detention of his brother Antonio, known as “Xx”.
In particular, as emerges from the minutes of December 4, 2020, the collaborator declared that "the De Martino clan is composed of De Martino Salvatore, as clan leader"; the latter "takes care of all sectors and, when it comes to ambushes, is the first to act". Furthermore, he attributed to him the task of managing "the clan's coffers".
List of suspects
1. FRIEND Santolo, born in Cercola on 07.07.1981 known as “Santoluccio”; UNDER INVESTIGATION
2. APREA Raffaele, born in Naples on 28.05.1997 known as “Lello”; PRISON
3. AUDINO Francesco, born in Cercola on 18.6.1980 known as “Chinese”; UNDER INVESTIGATION
4. AULISIO Nicola, born in Naples on 26.2.1997 known as “O' figl di All”, HOUSE ARREST
5. BLESSED Annamaria born in Pollena Trocchia on 8.4.1984 called “Nanà”; UNDER INVESTIGATION
6. BOCCARDI Roberto, born in Naples on 05.06.1991 known as “Recchiolone”; PRISON
7. CAPASSO Salvatore, born in Naples on 20.4.1979 known as “Savio”; UNDER INVESTIGATION
8. CAPOZZOLI Francesco, born in Naples on 26.4.1981; UNDER INVESTIGATION
9. CASELLA Eduardo, born in Naples on 10.05.1984; PRISON
10. CHIUMMIELLO Mario, born in Naples on 12.11.1987; PRISON
11. COPPOLA Immacolata, born in Naples on 06.10.1980 known as “Immarella”; UNDER INVESTIGATION
12. DE LUCA BOSSA Giuseppe, born in Naples on 01.05.1977; PRISON
13. DE MARTINO Salvatore, born in Naples on 03.02.1997 known as “Totore XX”; UNDER INVESTIGATION
14. DE MICCO Giovanni, born in Naples on 14.4.1997 known as “Patatina”; UNDER INVESTIGATION
15. DE MICCO Pasquale, born in Naples on 06.3.1973 known as “Paqualino”; HOUSE ARREST
16. DI COSTANZO Vincenzo, born in Naples on 11.11.1997 known as “Gabibbo PRISON
17. DI PIERNO Domenico, born in Naples on 9.5.1988 known as “O' Bill”; UNDER INVESTIGATION
18. ESPOSITO Clemente born in Naples on 5/7/1980, UNDER INVESTIGATION
19. GIANNIELLO Domenico, born in San Giorgio a Cremano on 13.09.1983; HOUSE ARREST
20. LA PENNA Luca, born in Naples on 28.07.1982 known as “Luchetto”; PRISON
21, PETRI Francesco, born in Naples on 16.02.2000 known as “Checco” PRISON
22. QUARTO Mario, born in Naples on 04.11.1981 known as “O' Chiatt” and/or “O' Zuop”: UNDER INVESTIGATION
23. QUARTO Rosario, born in Naples on 21.02.1971 known as “O' Russ”; UNDER INVESTIGATION
24. RIGHETTO Giuseppe, born in Naples on 14.02.1985 known as “Peppe o' blob”; PRISON
25, ROLLETTA Rosario, born in Pollena Trocchia known as “O' Friariello”, cdg INVESTIGATED
26. RONZA Pasquale Salvatore, born in San Giorgio a Cremano on 23.01.1989; UNDER INVESTIGATION
27. TERRACCIANO Antonio, born in Massa di Somma on 24.11.1989 known as “Farfariello”; UNDER INVESTIGATION
28, UCCELLA Ciro, born in Naples on 31.8.1998; PRISON
29. VELOTTI Giuseppe, born in Naples on 26.11.1977 known as “Pippotto”; PRISON
Article published on November 27, 2024 - 22:46
It is truly incredible how an extortion system could be so large and involve so many people. I wonder what will happen to these suspects now and how local communities will react to this situation.