Naples – Another heavy blow has been dealt to Naples's most modern and organized drug dealing hub, known for its aggressive "3 for 2" marketing strategy to attract hashish and marijuana consumers.
On Friday evening, officers from the Secondigliano police station's investigative and operational team, led by Deputy Police Commissioner Tommaso Pintauro, completed an anti-drug operation that led to the arrest of Francesco Mennetta, 26, cousin of the better-known Antonio Mennetta , known as “Er Nino,” a leading member of the Vanella Grassi clan.
The operation took place in one of the areas under the influence of the criminal group, allied and rival over the years of other Camorra families such as the Amato-Pagano, the Di Lauro and the five families of Secondigliano.
During the raid, the agents seized about a kilo of drugs, a gun, precision scales, packaging material and 315 euros in cash. Everything was hidden in a place used as a recreational club in via Vittorio Emanuele III, in Secondigliano, an area considered a fiefdom of the Vanella Grassi clan.
The premises, owned by an elderly local, had been occupied without the knowledge of the rightful owner. According to investigators, the weapon and drugs were in the possession of Francesco Mennetta, who was arrested.
Francesco Mennetta, already known to the police for specific precedents but never arrested for Camorra crimes, was arrested for possession of a clandestine weapon, receiving stolen goods and illicit possession of narcotics.
In the studio apartment he checked, the officers found a revolver with the serial number erased, 33 cartridges of various calibers, over half a kilo of marijuana, 99 doses of the same substance, 2 doses of cocaine, precision scales and a vacuum packaging machine.
The 3×2 square in Secondigliano known throughout the city
The “3×2 square”, known throughout Naples for its advantageous offers on marijuana and hashish, continues to be in the sights of law enforcement. Friday's operation represents a further step forward in the fight against drug trafficking and organized crime, but also a warning to those who think they can act with impunity in the Secondigliano area. The battle, however, is still long: the most modern drug dealing square in Naples does not give up easily.
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