Massive trial of the Amato-Pagano clan's drug holding company: 250 years in prison

Naples - A flurry of convictions, but without the "sting" the prosecution had hoped for, in the trial of the drug holding company that, under the shadow of the Amato-Pagano clan, flooded northern Naples with narcotics. Preliminary Investigations Judge Ivana Salvatore concluded the first-degree hearing yesterday morning with a summary trial: 29 convictions and two acquittals, for a total of nearly 250 years of imprisonment.

An important verdict but one which, in many cases, differs significantly from the requests made by the Prosecutor's Office during the closing argument.

For most of the defendants, in fact, the sentences imposed were lower than those requested by the prosecutors, demonstrating the judge's balancing act between the seriousness of the accusation and the reductions resulting from the fast-track procedure and the individual procedural positions.

According to the prosecution's case, the drug trafficking holding company, which, under the protection of the Secondigliano "Scissionisti," allegedly guaranteed a constant flow of drugs into the municipalities of the northern hinterland of Naples, is on trial.

The investigation, coordinated by the DDA and conducted by the Carabinieri, resulted in a major raid resulting in 33 arrests, which enabled the dismantling of two separate drug trafficking organizations. Operationally independent, they shared—according to investigators—the same international supply chain.

The heart of the investigation leads to Spain, where the command center for drug importation, managed by the group linked to Simone BartiromoFrom there, according to investigators, the shipments were sent to the drug dealing centers in the northern area, controlled by men linked to the Amato-Pagano clan, historic rivals of the Di Lauros in the Scampia feud.

The technical activities, the wiretaps and the shadowing had also brought to light a further piece of the alleged criminal organisation: a centralised structure to guarantee immediate legal assistance to associates arrested in flagrante delicto, with coordinated defences and lawyers made available by the group.

At the same time, the investigation also uncovered a sophisticated drug money laundering scheme, implemented through the collaboration of Chinese operators, tasked with circulating and laundering the money in exchange for a 2,4 percent commission on the sums moved.

The indictment for some of the defendants also includes the dispute over the availability of weapons, considered by investigators to be an integral part of the Scissionisti clan's arsenal, ensuring territorial control and protecting against illicit trafficking.

The ruling read in court by investigating judge Salvatore was welcomed by the large defense team, which in many cases obtained significant reductions in sentences compared to the prosecutor's requests.

The ruling's reasoning, which will detail the judge's assessment of each individual case and the evidence gathered during the investigation, will be filed within ninety days. Only then will it be possible to fully understand the balance struck between the charges raised by the District Anti-Mafia Directorate and the reconstruction accepted by the investigating judge, in light of the potential appeal, which already promises to be particularly challenging.

List of convictions (highest to lowest)

1. Antonio Marrone – 15 years and 5 months

2. Salvatore Mari – 14 years old

3. Raffaele Marrone – 14 years and 7 months

4. Luigi Diano – 13 years and 4 months

5. Francesco Tessitore – 11 years old

6. Giuliano Tessitore – 11 years old

7. Domenico Stefanelli – 10 years old

8. Pasquale Diglio – 10 years and 1 month

9. Raffaele Maisto – 8 years and 11 months (14 years required)

10. Carlo Troncone – 6 years and 10 months

11. Vincenzo Mangiapili – 8 years and 2 months

12. Enrico Bocchetti – 8 years old (18 years old required)

13. Domenico Guerra – 8 years old (18 years old required)

14. Emanuele Cicalese – 7 years and 6 months (18 years and 4 months required)

15. Salvatore D'Aria – 7 years and 6 months

16. Arturo Vastarelli – 7 years and 8 months

17. Luigi Ascione – 7 years and 4 months

18. Carlone Calzone – 7 years and 4 months

19. Massimo Dannier – 7 years and 4 months

20. Maurizio Errichelli – 7 years and 4 months

21. Antonio Pandolfi – 7 years and 4 months

22. Francesco Fiengo – 6 years and 8 months (18 years required)

23. Gennaro Diano – 6 years and 8 months

24. Gaetano Pezzella – 6 years and 8 months

25. Patrizio Pone – 6 years and 8 months

26. Vincenzo Sinacra – 6 years and 8 months

27. Nicola Di Casola – 4 years and 6 months

28. Massimo D'Onofrio – 4 years and 4 months

29. Salvatore Sansone – 4 years and 4 months (16 years required)

Acquitted:

• Salvatore Ruocco

• Mirko Russo

(in the photo, from top left: Enrico Bocchetti, Luigi Diano, Raffaele Maisto, Salvatore Mari, Arturo Vastarelli, and Antonio Pandolfi; at the bottom, also from left: Maurizio Errichelli, Gaetano Pezzella, Antonio Marrone, Carlo Calzone, Carlo Troncone, and Emanuele Cicalese)