Camorra, the Mazzarella-Alleanza feud and the 20 murders of 1997

La feud between the Mazzarellas and their rivals, first and foremost the Secondigliano Alliance, has been marked by episodes of brutal violence, targeted attacks and murders who over the years have redrawn the criminal map of Naples.

Despite having a solid criminal profile, strong support and family ties to the Continis, their presence in the Market was not tolerated by the Mazzarellas, who claimed exclusive control of the illicit activities.

The conflict isn't sparked by revenge or honor, but by money, control, and especially drugs. The Mazzarellas, initially allies of the Licciardis, are considered an integral part of the Alleanza cartel. But as often happens in the Camorra, alliances last only until there's a bigger prize to share.

One of the first signs of rupture comes with the murder of Pasquale Riccio, man near the Licciardi clan, killed in 1995 in the Mercato neighborhood. It's a declaration of war, even if no one officially proclaims it. From that moment, Naples begins to be divided in two: on one side theAlliance, with its almost military structure, on the other hand the Mazzarella group, more disorganized but ferocious, ready to do anything to assert its supremacy.

In 1996, the blood flows again: Giuseppe Testa, ras of the San Giovanni area linked to the Mazzarella, He is killed by a commando on a motorbike. It is the response to the arrogance of the brothers Vincenzo and Gennaro, who now deal directly with the men of the Cali sign and they ousted the Licciardis from several squares in the eastern suburbs.

Meanwhile i Contini, led by Edoardo Contini “the Roman”, They move in the shadows: they prefer not to expose themselves, but they finance operations and provide logistical protection to their allies. During this period, the first "transversal alliances" are born: the Mazzarellas approach old criminal families in the historic center, such as the Giuliano, which are also in decline, and to some elements of the Stabia and Vesuvian criminals, in an anti-Alliance key.

 The twenty murders of 1997

1997 marked an escalation: Naples experienced a period of almost daily ambushes. In the area between Gianturco, via Marina and San Giovanni There have been more than twenty murders linked to the control of cocaine hubs. Many victims are not bosses or mafia bosses, but young pushers or underlings who pay with their lives for switching sides or passing information to the wrong side.

Between 1997 and 1998, the Mazzarella They ushered in a new bloody era in the history of the Neapolitan Camorra, sparking a brutal war against the Secondigliano Alliance. This conflict reshaped the criminal balance in the city, but Gennaro Mazzarella, the clan's historic leader, kept a low profile. His goal was not a head-on clash, but rather the consolidation of power in the Mercato district, a strategic stronghold for illicit trafficking.

In those years, Gennaro Mazzarella could count on the support of the sons Franco and Ciro and on the ties to the Licciardi family of Masseria Cardone, the founding family of the very consortium the clan was challenging. But it was primarily through international drug trafficking, with significant imports from Spain, that the Mazzarellas managed to amass enormous economic power.

Gennaro Mazzarella arrested in Spain in 1999

The rise of the clan did not suffer a setback even after the first arrest of Gennaro Mazzarella, which occurred in 1999 in Spain and was followed by extradition to Italy. After a period of detention that lasted until November 2001, Gennaro was released but was arrested again on March 20, 2003.

His final capture, however, did not compromise the organization: his sons Franco and Ciro took over the reins of the clan, overcoming an initial period of uncertainty and strengthening the leadership after a brief rapprochement with their uncle Vincenzo.

According to the reconstruction of the investigations by magistrates and law enforcement, the Mazzarellas' criminal dynamics were intertwined in those years with a network of strategic alliances and conflicts.

The pact with the was particularly solid Misso clan, as told by justice collaborator Michelangelo Mazza. An agreement based not only on territorial contiguity – the Missos controlled the Sanità, Via Duomo, part of Forcella, Materdei, the Fontanelle, Foria and Piazza Cavour – but also on convergences of interests.

Giuseppe Misso's release from prison in 1999

In 1999, when Giuseppe Misso, known as 'o nasone, when he left prison, he found himself sharing a common enemy with the Mazzarellas (and with the Sarnos): the Secondigliano Alliance, and in particular the Licciardis, the Continis and the Lo Russos.

According to the informer Mazza, the Continis had been at war with the Mazzarellas for some time: a bloody conflict that had previously led to the murder of Gennaro's father. Only later was a fragile agreement reached with the Alliance.

Another hot front was that of the Mercato district, where the Mazzarellas had to deal with the rival family of the Mauro, known as “Alesi”. According to the testimonies of the repentants Capuozzo Francesco, Mazza Michelangelo, Misso Emiliano Zapata, Misso Giuseppe and Giuliano Salvatore, the Mauros boasted a solid criminal reputation, rooted above all in smuggling and extortion.

Although related by kinship to the Continis, the Mauros maintained good relations with the dominant clans of the city centre, including the Giuliano brothers from Forcella and the same Vincenzo Mazzarella, who had helped during a delicate liver operation.

But the cohabitation between the two groups was not destined to last. With the rise of the Mazzarellas, the Mauros could no longer operate independently: the rules of the criminal system imposed subordination to the dominant clan. The presence of the Alesis was considered too cumbersome and therefore poorly tolerated by the new masters of the Market.

In the Mercato district people live under siege. Mazzarella they fortify themselves in the palaces between Soprammuro and Forcella alleysThey plant cameras, lookouts, and surveillance systems. They respond blow for blow. The war is now open, and it also involves the police and the Carabinieri, who are beginning to discover arsenals, bunkers, and hideouts. But the feud has only just begun.

Clash with the Mauros and attacks in 2002

In May 2002, a clash erupted between the Mazzarella family and the Mauro “Alesi” family, historically active in the Mercato. During a shootout in Piazza Mercato (May 18), a Mazzarella affiliate was injured. Francesco Ramaglia, and a minor, Ciro Mauro (grandson of the Mauros).

That same night, two fires were set: on Via Cristofaro Marino and on Via del Macello in garages linked to the Mauro/Ferrone clan. The Court considers Gennaro Mazzarella the instigator of these retaliatory acts.

Return of the Mauros and new confrontation (2004-2005)

After being ousted from the Market, the Mauros attempt to regain ground in the Pallonetto di Santa Lucia. Clashes erupt again between the groups; a peace agreement is brokered with the Missos to contain the Mazzarellas' uncontrolled expansion into the city center.

In this context, two key murders take place:

Franco Ferrone

, killed on February 3, 2004 in his Mercato garage — connected to the Mauros as a cousin of Ciro Mauro.

Antonio Scafaro ditto “Pippetta”, assassinated on March 6, 2005 under a hail of 17 bullets in the Mercato area, an act that established the Mazzarella family's hegemony over that part of the city according to collaborators of justice.

Conflicts with the Caldarelli Clan (2004-2005)

During this period there were also conflicts with the Caldarelli clan, dominance in the neighboring Case Nuove area. Despite the strong ties between the Caldarellis and Vincenzo Mazzarella, their nephews Franco and Ciro resented this closeness, eager to expand their control over the neighboring territory. However, their uncle's opposition prevented their acquisition.

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(Beautiful photo from left: Gennaro Mazzarella, Vincenzo Mazzarella, Ciro Mazzarella, Franco Mazzarella, Giuseppe Misso, Luigi Giuliano; bottom, also from left: Eduardo Contini, Ciro Mauro, Gennaro Licciardi, Raffaele Caldarelli, and Vincenzo Caldarelli)