Casoria: A massive stash of contraband cigarettes has been discovered, with two and a half tons of "blondes" seized.

An anonymous warehouse, on an ordinary street in the hinterland north of Naples, turned out to be a crucial hub for cigarette smuggling.

In Casoria the Carabinieri seized 1,850,000 cigarettes, equivalent to 92.500 packets, for a total weight of 2 tons and 457 kilograms: a quantity which, to give an idea, is equivalent to a van loaded to the brim or a nine-meter boat.

The seizure occurred on Via Enrico De Nicola, where officers from the Casoria station had responded to an inspection of an attempted theft. But behind a door that seemed to reveal a burglary, the Carabinieri found something else entirely: hundreds of boxes of contraband, stacked and ready for distribution.

Eight pallets in total, lined up like in a logistics warehouse, destined to supply the vast black market that continues to thrive in Naples and its province.

The Casoria raid is part of a broader pattern that in 2025 saw law enforcement engaged in a full-scale offensive against trafficking of foreign manufactured tobacco. From central Naples to the northern area and the coastal strip, seizures multiplied over the course of the year, with thousands of packages intercepted in clandestine warehouses, vans, and improvised warehouses. This illicit flow continues to generate millions of dollars in profits for criminal organizations and drain the Treasury.

All the material found in Casoria has been seized. Investigations are now focused on reconstructing the supply chain, understanding where the cigarettes came from and who they were destined for. The goal is to trace the supply channels and distribution terminals in an area that remains one of the main hubs for cigarette smuggling in Italy.

The main seizures of 2025

1,2 tons of cigarettes seized in Naples
In March 2025, the Guardia di Finanza seized a total of 1,2 tons of contraband cigarettes in the industrial area of ​​Naples. Officers found approximately 400 kg of cigarettes in a van and, during a search of a warehouse, another 800 kg. The driver, a 51-year-old man, was arrested red-handed and subsequently prosecuted.

Cigarettes and tobacco seized at Capodichino Airport during customs checks.
Throughout 2025, customs authorities and the Guardia di Finanza (Italian Finance Police) at Naples Capodichino Airport intensified controls on illicit trafficking. Over 150 kg of contraband tobacco and some cigarettes were seized during anti-trafficking operations on transit passengers.

Seizure of 249 kg of contraband cigarettes with 20 reports
In a series of 134 operations across Naples and the surrounding province, law enforcement seized 249 kilos of contraband cigarettes as part of broader investigations into illicit trafficking. During these operations, one person was arrested and twenty others were charged.

Major investigation in Nola into tobacco smuggling and counterfeiting
In November 2025, the Naples Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) busted a criminal network based in the Nola area dedicated to tobacco smuggling and counterfeit cigarette brands. Three people were placed under house arrest by order of the Naples Anti-Mafia Department.

Over 50kg of cigarettes seized and arrested in the city centre
In early 2025, checks near Piazza Garibaldi led to the seizure of over 50 kg of contraband cigarettes, with one individual arrested red-handed while transporting "cheap white" cigarettes without proper labels.