Naples. Camorra clans are investing more and more in sectors such as construction, finance and tax fraud, thus infiltrating the legal economy. This is what emerges from an investigation by the Anti-Mafia Investigation Directorate (Dia) of Naples.
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According to Claudio De Salvo, head of the DIA centre in Naples, “we are witnessing an increasingly pervasive infiltration of organized crime into the legal economy. However, thanks to new investigative tools, we are able to follow illicit financial flows also through non-traditional channels”.
The DIA also highlighted how Camorra clans are taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) to infiltrate construction sites and profit from public funds.
“Money is the sensitive nerve of organized crime,” De Salvo said: “By following financial flows, we can identify those responsible for illicit conduct and strike at the heart of criminal organizations.”
Financial flows of clans also towards China
“Organised crime uses its huge financial resources to activate financial flows also towards Chinese channels, as confirmed by several journalistic investigations.” This was declared by Claudio De Salvo, head of the centre Day of Naples, during the press conference for the presentation of the 2025 calendar entitled Follow the Money.
During the press conference, it emerged that the mafias do not limit their investments to the construction sector, one of the main ones, but also focus on tax fraud, which offers high profits with relatively low risks. De Salvo also highlighted how tourism represents another area of interest for money laundering, especially in Naples. “In this sector too, the State has reacted with widespread controls,” he pointed out.
The head of the DIA centre then delved into the topic of transnational relations of mafia organisations, defining them “the fundamental humus for the development of criminal realities,” with significant implications in terms of exchange and operations. "Today, money no longer passes exclusively through traditional financial and banking channels. As Giovanni Falcone said, the mafias are always one step ahead of us. Our task - concluded De Salvo - is to reduce this gap, equipping ourselves to counteract illicit financial flows that move along paths that are often unknown or difficult to identify."
Di Salvo (Dia Napoli): “PNRR could end up in the crosshairs of the mafia”
“The PNRR represents a crucial opportunity, a possible driving force for development, but also a target for the interests of the mafia and the Camorra”. This was stated by Claudio De Salvo, head of the DIA centre in Naples, during the press conference for the presentation of the 2025 calendar.
According to De Salvo, "recent judicial investigations highlight the existence of transnational relationships, which have become a key element in the evolution of mafia organizations."
"Today, money no longer passes through traditional financial and banking channels," De Salvo emphasized, "and, as Falcone stated, the mafias are always one step ahead. We must fill this gap, equipping ourselves with adequate tools to combat illicit financial flows that move along unknown or difficult to trace paths."
Article published on 12 December 2024 - 07:51
It is worrying to see how Camorra clans manage to infiltrate legal sectors such as construction and finance. The strangest thing is that despite controls there are always ways to evade. We need to do more.