Naples – Part of the restaurant business “Diamanti del Mare” in via Sannazaro a Chiaia, managed by the influencer Gennaro Di Napoli, has been seized.
A joint raid revealed a long list of violations, which authorities described as a mix of “improvisation, illegality and disregard for basic hygiene and safety rules.” A new wing of the restaurant, which has not yet opened, was sealed off following a joint inspection that uncovered serious irregularities.
During the inspection, coordinated by the local police with the support of ASL Napoli 1, the Labor Inspectorate , the Building Protection Unit, and the municipal companies ABC and ENEL, approximately 80 kg of untraceable food and 160 kg of illegally stored fish and sweets were seized. The premises were deemed unsanitary, and an illegal food storage facility resulted in fines of over €5. Furthermore, 14 regulations were imposed, to be fulfilled within 30 days.
Illegal occupation of public land and building violations
The establishment illegally occupied approximately 50 square meters of public land without authorization, resulting in a €170 fine and emergency removal. It was also charged with illegal waste management, with a lack of separate waste collection and uncontrolled dumping, in violation of municipal regulations.
The Building Protection Unit has detected serious urban planning and landscape violations, which have led to the seizure of the new restaurant wing and referral to the judicial authorities. The violations concern unauthorized structural modifications in a restricted area.
Of the 20 employees present at the time of the check, 10 were found to be completely “undeclared”, including one worker who did not comply with the residence requirements. The overall administrative sanctions exceed 28 thousand euros.
Criminal proceedings are underway for the use of irregular labour, pursuant to Article 22 of Legislative Decree 286/98, which provides for up to three years of imprisonment.
The owners' reply: "I acted in compliance with the rules"
Gennaro Di Napoli and Ciro Barone, owners of the restaurant, after the news spread through a press release from the local police of Naples, rushed to make videos on Tik Tok in which they deny having committed all the contested violations and declare themselves certain of having always acted in compliance with the rules.
In the videos they show that the restaurant is open, in business and crowded so much that they also thank the numerous customers. Ciro Barone and Gennaro Di Napoli tried to explain that an adjacent room was seized that was not yet open and in which they had placed refrigerators and they only admit an excess of eleven square meters for the outdoor gazebo and then they gloss over the illegal work and the seizure of food.
Investigations continue to shed full light on the complex network of irregularities found.
