Naples never sleeps, and Porta Capuana even less so. On the chaotic Via Carriera Grande, just steps from the bustling heart of the Mercato, the State Police put an end last night to one of the many drug dealing incidents that occur in that area.
The exchange under the noses of the police
It was just after evening when officers from the Vicaria-Mercato Police Station, busy patrolling the area in one of the city's hottest spots, spotted the scene.
A man, with quick and cautious movements, handed something to another subject in exchange for cash. It wasn't just any handshake: the smell of drugs was in the air, and the officers didn't waste a second.
The location is strategic, on Via Carriera Grande: narrow alleys, people coming and going, the constant coming and going of those looking for a high or goods to sell. Here, among the historic buildings and the daily decay, drug dealing is a daily occurrence in the crime news.
The police, with the experience of those who have frequented these areas for years, accelerated: a lightning raid to nip the criminal process in the bud.
A vain escape and loot in your pocket
The 49-year-old of Moroccan origin, a convicted felon with a resume that speaks for itself, didn't think twice: at the sight of the officers, he attempted to flee, weaving between passersby and parked scooters.
Stopped after a few meters, he was searched on the spot and found with five packages of pure cocaine, ready for the street, and 90 euros in small denomination bills – the classic nest egg of a retail drug dealer.
The buyer, a random drug addict caught with the dose he had just purchased still in his pocket, got away with an administrative fine for personal possession.
The Moroccan, with a history of similar troubles, was taken to the Vicaria-Mercato Police Station and then to Poggioreale prison: he is charged with illicit possession of narcotics for the purpose of dealing and resisting a public official.
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Comments (1)
The situation in Naples is increasingly complicated; drugs are circulating like water. I hope the police can do more to stop these incidents, but without help and resources, it will be difficult to continue the fight.