Naples – Major operation by law enforcement in the heart of Ponticelli, historic fiefdom of the De Martino clan.
The Carabinieri of the Provincial Command of Naples, together with the Local Police, executed a preventive seizure order issued by the GIP at the request of the District Anti-Mafia Directorate.
The operation, coordinated by the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Prefect of Naples, hit a three-story building in via Panagulis, composed of 16 municipal-owned real estate units, intended for commercial use but illegally transformed into housing.
The investigations, supported by the statements of collaborators of justice, revealed how the building had become a bastion of the clan "From Martin XX”. To obtain the accommodation, the squatters would have paid sums of money to members of the clan, in a system that facilitated Camorra activities.
The operation, conducted with over 200 operators between Carabinieri, State Police, Guardia di Finanza, Fire Brigade and social services personnel, ended with a total evacuation.
The premises were walled up and made uninhabitable
The buildings, emptied of furniture and furnishings by municipal workers and Asia Napoli Servizi, were made uninhabitable and walled up. Temporary housing and health solutions were arranged for the families still present.
A hard blow to organized crime, in an area long under the control of the De Martino clan, which marks a step forward in the fight against the Camorra in the Campania capital.
The Ponticelli operation seems to be an important step against crime, but I wonder if it will be enough to stop the De Martino clan. The situation is complicated and more resources are needed to prevent it from happening again.