Naples – A major anti-Camorra operation began at dawn in the Pianura neighborhood of Naples. Eleven people ended up in handcuffs on the orders of the Neapolitan investigating judge, at the request of the District Anti-Mafia Directorate, as part of an investigation that reconstructed the criminal structures and dynamics of two Camorra organizations fighting for control of the territory: the Marsicano-Esposito-Calone clan and the emerging group linked to the Carillo family.
Among those arrested is Emanuel Bruno, 23 years old, considered the material author – in collaboration with other still unidentified individuals – of themurder of Antonio Gaetano, a member of the Marsicano-Esposito clan, which occurred in March 2023 on the Naples seafront. Gaetano, 20, was hit by six gunshots while he was in a car with two friends in the city's nightlife area. He died in hospital twelve days later.
The investigations, coordinated by the Flying Squad and the DDA, documented the criminal context in which the ambush took place: a real war for the control of drug dealing and extortion in Pianura. According to investigators, Bruno was affiliated with the Carillo group, rivals of the Marsicano-Esposito.
Among the recipients of the precautionary measures also Emanuel Marsicano, 27 years old, believed to be the baby boss of the clan of the same name. A European arrest warrant is awaited for a twelfth suspect, currently detained in France.
The investigation has allowed us to reconstruct a dense network of illicit activities, including the control of numerous drug dealing areas in the neighborhood, some of which have already been the subject of journalistic documentation that has immortalized the suspects during the sale and packaging of narcotic substances.
Investigators also seized several firearms – including the gun used in the murder Gaetano – in addition to doses of marijuana, hashish, cocaine and a sum of cash, believed to be the proceeds of drug dealing. It also emerged that a top member of the Marsicano-Esposito, who was in prison at the time, managed part of the clan's activities from inside the prison via a cell phone, giving orders for extortion, "stese" and ambushes.
The operation represents a hard blow to the clans competing for control of the Pianura neighborhood, which has been the scene of a dangerous criminal escalation for months.
Article published on 14 April 2025 - 14:19
The anti-Camorra operation in Naples seems like an important step to fight crime in the Pianura neighborhood. However, there are many open questions about how these arrests will actually affect safety in the area and the future of the community.