Naples – From the Decumani area to Montecalvario, passing through the heart of the nightlife of Piazza San Francesco di Paola, the State Police combed the streets of the city center and the working-class neighborhoods, tightening the net around drug dealers.
In just twenty-four hours, three men were arrested for possession of narcotics for the purpose of dealing: a 22-year-old Nigerian, a 21-year-old Dominican, and a 46-year-old Neapolitan, all already known to law enforcement.
The 22-year-old will also have to answer for resisting arrest and assaulting a public official after attempting to evade arrest.
The exchange took place under the eyes of the police
The first arrest occurred yesterday morning, when officers from the Vicariate-Mercato Police Station and the Office of General Prevention and Public Rescue were carrying out routine checks near Piazza San Francesco di Paola, one of the busiest areas of the city center.
The officers noticed two young men exchanging something suspiciously: a quick exchange of hands, a banknote, and a knowing look. When the two noticed the patrol's presence, they attempted to escape, splitting up into the alleys.
A foot chase ensued through the surrounding streets, ending with the 22-year-old being stopped after a brief struggle. Ten packages of cocaine, ready for retail sale, were found on him.
The pusher's purse in Montecalvario
A few hours later, officers from the Montecalvario Police Station caught another drug dealer, a 21-year-old from the Dominican Republic, during a check in Vico Concordia, in the heart of the Spanish Quarter.
At the sight of the patrol, the young man attempted to get rid of a bag, throwing it between the parked scooters.
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Inside were five packages of cocaine—weighing approximately 70 grams in total—an 11-gram piece of hashish, a precision scale, and €30 in cash. He was also arrested.
The blitz on Corso Garibaldi
The third arrest was made by the Decumani Police Station during a patrol along Corso Garibaldi, an area already known for widespread drug dealing in shops and doorways.
The police noticed a man—a 46-year-old Neapolitan—hastily exiting a building and walking suspiciously toward Via Sant'Antonio Abate. Shortly afterward, they saw him enter a business and exchange money with another person.
The intervention was immediate: the two were arrested on the spot. €220 in cash was found on the 46-year-old, while the buyer still had the dose he had just purchased.
The search then extended to the man's home, where, thanks also to the sniffer dogs of the Canine Squad, the officers found 88 bags of marijuana, weighing a total of approximately 115 grams.
The Police Headquarters crackdown
The three arrests are part of a series of extraordinary checks implemented by the Naples Police Headquarters to combat drug dealing in the city center and nightlife areas.
A phenomenon that continues to manifest itself with increasingly rapid and widespread dynamics, including quick exchanges, stakeouts in alleys, and small-scale drug dealing near nightclubs.
"The urban drug dealing network is operating in increasingly stealthy ways," police sources explain. "This requires constant surveillance and extensive investigative activity."
All those arrested were taken to prison and placed at the disposal of the judicial authorities.
Comments (1)
It's interesting to see how the police are working to stop drug dealing. However, there are many social problems behind these phenomena, and simply arresting dealers won't solve everything. A broader approach is needed.