Naples - The Carabinieri of the Castello di Cisterna Investigative Unit have carried out a large-scale anti-mafia operation that culminated in the arrest of 44 people. The order, signed by the Naples preliminary investigations judge at the request of the District Anti-Mafia Directorate, orders the prison detention of 34 suspects and house arrest for another 10.
and the charges are serious: mafia-type association, extortion, attempted extortion, illegal management of games and bets using mafia methods and – above all – political-mafia electoral manipulation.
The investigation, covering the period 2022-2024 and constructed through wiretaps, shadowing, and technical activities, maps a criminal power rooted in the Nola area and capable of infiltrating economic sectors, institutions, and democratic consultations.
The power of the Russo clan in the Nola area
According to investigators, the Russo clan—historically active in Nola and surrounding municipalities—remained fully operational. The group, capable of directly and indirectly controlling economic activity in the area, allegedly imposed a system of "taxes" on real estate sales, planning procedures, and even the processing of municipal applications for construction work.
The proceeds were then divided among the members and channeled into the common fund intended to support the families of the prisoners.
Numerous extortion incidents against municipal technicians, planners, entrepreneurs, and clients also emerged: pressure to facilitate the acquisition of properties or to allow third parties, chosen by the clan, to build and purchase.
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Illegal betting and Camorra alliances
Alongside the real estate deals, the investigation documents a clandestine betting network and illegal online gaming operation, set up by the Russo clan in collaboration with members of the Licciardi clan of the Secondigliano Alliance. The network included agencies and sub-agencies in the heart of the Nola area, the creation of clandestine websites, and the redistribution of profits between the clan's coffers and the support of inmates.
Extortion was also allegedly inflicted on the owners of betting shops, who were asked to cover the debts they had accumulated by participating in the illicit system.
The most disturbing issue: the Camorra and voting in the Nola area
The most alarming front for the judiciary, however, concerns the alleged conditioning of the local elections in two municipalities in the area: Cicciano (May 2023) and Casamarciano (June 2022).
According to what emerges from the investigation of the DdaThe criminal organization allegedly attempted to influence the vote through intermediaries, supporting candidates deemed "close" or otherwise willing to grant favors in the future. This infiltration attempt, if confirmed, would provide further evidence of the clans' ability to influence not only the economy, but also the democratic life of local communities.
A network that intertwines business, violence and politics
The Carabinieri operation paints a picture of the Camorra operating on multiple fronts: extortion to control territory, multi-million dollar deals in illegal gambling, widespread control of construction sites, and even attempts to influence the outcome of elections.
Investigators' suspicions are clear: the clans aimed to secure "friendly" or at least non-hostile administrations, capable of facilitating procedures, projects, and economic interests. This pressure risks altering the very principle of free voter expression and refocuses attention on the Camorra's role in managing consensus in the Nola area.
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