Camorra in Pozzuoli: the clash between the boss Gennaro Sannino and his nephews and the split of the Reginelle

Naples – There was one clash very violent and of a family nature within the Longobardi gang -Beneduce di Pozzuoli and which involved the group of the boss Gennaro Sannino, regent in 2022 after his release from prison.

The clash culminated in the split in the family by the boss's nephews and the birth of the "Reginelle" group in Monterusciello, and then with the attack on former loyalist Gennaro Dello Iacolo.

The core of the investigation coordinated by the Naples Anti-Mafia Directorate against the dual criminal organization led by Gennaro Sannino—along with his family and associates—rests on the statements of four collaborators of justice.

These are the boss's nephews, Luigi Sannino (1999), Umberto Sannino, Gennaro Dello Iacolo, and Ciro Scognamiglio. Thanks to their contribution, a "cross-call" emerged among the accusations, confirming the Camorra group's operations between September and December 2022.

The collaborators, all former members of the same clan – later split into the new branch of the “Reginelle” –, have provided a reconstruction of what have been the movements in the last few years Pozzuoli CamorraThe investigation also made use of a series of environmental wiretaps.

Luigi and Umberto Sannino's role was not limited to simple executors: they helped define the dynamics, precisely describing the group's hierarchy, tasks, and ramifications.

 The family breakup and the birth of the "Reginelle" group

Particularly relevant is the testimony of Luigi, who described his emotional relationship with his uncle Gennaro with emotionally powerful words (“for me he was like a father”), also helping to confirm the internal flow of command within the criminal organization.

According to investigators, after Gennaro Sannino's release from prison in September 2022, the clan's internal balance crumbled until a clear fracture occurred: in the autumn of 2022, the autonomous "Reginelle" group was born in the Monterusciello neighborhood.

The earthquake was preceded and followed by disturbing events, such as the attack on December 5, 2022, against Gennaro Dello Iacolo, which marked the breaking point.

In a statement released on March 20, 2024, Luigi Sannino reconstructed the time frame during which his uncle, Gennaro Sannino, assumed leadership of the family criminal organization. "When my uncle was released from prison," he stated, "he became the head of our organization until December 2022, when we argued with him."

In a previous report, dated March 18, 2024, Sannino himself explained the reasons that led to the internal split. According to his reconstruction, the conflict erupted over differences in command: "I rebelled against my uncle," he stated, "because he wanted to be in charge alone, and he scolded me, saying I wanted to commit too many abuses, only creating problems. He told me that in Pozzuoli he was the only one in charge, and that, since I was his nephew, I had to do what he said."

Repentant Luigi Sannino: "My uncle told me he would kill everyone around me."

Sannino also reported explicit threats from his uncle: "He used this expression: 'You are my nephews and you must do what I say.' He added that if I didn't accept his conditions, he would kill everyone close to me, leaving me alone like a dog."

An episode that, according to Luigi Sannino, marked the final break: "I reacted very badly and from that moment I decided to wage war on him, trying to challenge his power within Pozzuoli's organized crime scene." About a month after the argument, the ambush occurred in which Gennaro Dello Iacolo was shot.

Following the attack, Luigi and Umberto Sannino distanced themselves from their uncle Gennaro and decided to found a new autonomous group, based in the Monteruscello neighborhood, known for being a sensitive hub for local crime.

New roles and responsibilities for Luigi and Umberto

After freeing themselves from the figure of the founder, Luigi and Umberto assumed leading roles in local operations, managing both drug dealing and extortion and other crimes. Luigi's commitment to the trafficking network and his ability to explain the clan's operational and financial details strengthened his credibility, making his statements even more impactful.

The picture that emerges is of a clan in transformation, consumed by internal conflicts and betrayals. The associates, once behind bars, chose to collaborate: an act that provided investigators with an "inside camera," capable of clearly framing the balance of power, the alliances, and the hidden strategies.

(In the photo, the Reginelle area in Monterusciello and, from top left, the boss Gennaro Sannino, his son Luigi, his grandsons Luigi and Umberto, and Gennaro dello Iacolo)