Pomigliano feud: Boss Olindo Cipoletta admits: "I'm responsible."

Pomigliano – It's a twist you wouldn't expect from a bloodthirsty and violent boss like Olindo Cipoletta, protagonist, along with his brother, in a bloody feud that has bloodied the streets of Pomigliano in recent years.

And instead yesterday morning in the courtroom during the trial which is taking place with the abbreviated procedure requested by 20 of the 54 suspects in the blitz last February, Olindo Cipolletta, indicated as one of the group's leaders, made spontaneous statements admitting his responsibilities.

It's the usual defense strategy to avoid a very long sentence, but it doesn't always pay off. In fact, the prosecutor's office has requested 20 years in prison for him. In the coming weeks, after the defense's arguments, the court will then decide on the sentences.

This is a fast-paced trial born from the investigation into the fierce war for control of the drug market in Pomigliano d'Arco and the entire Vesuvian area. This is the picture that emerged from the investigation that has overwhelmed the Cipolletta and Ferretti clans, rival groups accused of spreading fear through roadside raids, explosive devices, and attempted murders. Yesterday morning, at the end of the closing arguments before the investigating judge, the District Anti-Mafia Directorate requested twenty sentences, totaling nearly three centuries of prison time.

Those at risk of the heaviest prison sentences are the alleged leaders of the two organizations: the prosecutor has requested sentences of up to 20 years for them.

The feud: twelve rows, weapons everywhere and "baby soldiers"

According to the Carabinieri's reconstruction, the two gangs were in full conflict over territory and drug dealing locations. An escalation of violence was recorded starting in late 2023: at least twelve raids were carried out on rivals' streets, shops, and homes, often carried out during peak hours, with no regard for public safety.

Adding to the disturbing picture is the availability of weapons of war. During the investigation, around thirty weapons, including rifles and pistols, were seized. And a wiretap reveals the normalization of violence: a six-year-old boy asks his father, a clan member, "Dad, where are you going with the gun?"

The documents also reveal 14 extortion cases involving entrepreneurs and merchants, as well as 11 robberies, often involving beatings and gunshots. Those under investigation included TikTok users, young people, and aspiring crime bosses.

The Carabinieri Investigative Unit of Castello di Cisterna's raid, launched last February, led to the arrest of 27 people, including four minors. Yesterday, before a judge, the Anti-Mafia Prosecutor's Office delivered its final blow.

The requests for conviction

20 years in prison

Franco Bitonto

Salvatore Bitonto

Benjamin Cipolletta

Olindo Cipolletta

Salvatore Cipolletta

Pasquale D'Onofrio

Raffaele Esposito

16 years in prison

Diego Ferraro

Aniello Ferretti

Happy Ferretti

12 years in prison

Vincenzo Basso (born 1994)

Raffaele Carretta

Francesco Cipolletta

Nuncio Esposito

Domenico Forino

Maria Limatola

8 years in prison

Carmine Ambra

Vincenzo Basso (born 2005)

Salvatore Ferretti

6 years in prison

Sabatino Edificante, known as 'o Manese