Naples – Ponticelli is not a neighborhood for the faint of heart, and the administrative manager of a historic company in the neighborhood knows it well.In an area where the shadows of clans loom over the shutters of commercial businesses, the company has ended up in the sights of the "Bodo," the De Micco criminal organization currently dominant in the eastern area of Naples.
It's a story of relentless intimidation, of exorbitant demands for protection money from prisoners, and of the courage of a man who, terrified by the trail of blood that has already stained the neighborhood, decided not to give in.
The nightmare begins on Thursday
The entrepreneur's ordeal began on February 5, 2026, at 6:00 PM. Two masked individuals showed up on a black scooter in front of the company gates and, without even getting off the vehicle, pointed their fingers at the owner, forcefully demanding, "Come immediately to Ponticelli behind the garage to talk to Peppe. You have to come now."
The entrepreneur ignores the order, but it's only the beginning of a pressure that will become increasingly suffocating. Four days later, a commando arrives at the company in a blue Lancia Y. Ferruccio Camassa, born in 1984, a well-known member of the criminal organization, steps out of the car. Waiting for him in the car are Vincenzo Valentino and Salvatore Borriello, silent but eloquent presences who act as a force of intimidation.
The request: "They want 30.000 euros."
Face-to-face with the victim, Camassa bluntly introduces himself as the De Miccos' contact for the "Palazzine di Topolino" clan. The message is clear and comes directly from prison, from Fabio Riccardi, aka "Fabiolino," via Giuseppe Borriello, aka Peppe "Chupa Chups."
The debt collector's words leave no room for interpretation: "They want 30.000 euros!" The businessman, trying to stall and scare the criminals, replies that he is connected to the police via his video surveillance system.
The clan's response the following day, however, is unwavering. Aboard a gray Jeep Renegade, Camassa returns to the charge, stating that Peppe Chupa Chups won't listen to reason and that the sum must be paid in full, without discounts. Terror grips the entrepreneur, who confides his anguish to the Carabinieri, recalling that the De Micco clan has no qualms about killing those who rebel, recalling the murder of entrepreneur Enrico Capozzi and the recent arson attack on the Martinelli Ricambi factory.
The change at the top and the new threats
Tensions mount on February 16, 2026. The businessman, driving his car on Via Carlo Miranda, is pulled over and forced to pull over by Camassa and an accomplice in the same Jeep. The debt collector reiterates his extortion demand, but reveals a sudden shift in the neighborhood's criminal hierarchy: "Now they're in charge..."
The confused entrepreneur asks who he should actually hand over the money to: "First you mentioned Peppe Chupa Chups, now this... omitted..., can you explain to me who I should give the money to?" Camassa's reply outlines the internal tensions and the group's ferocity:
"Now he's in charge... omitted... because Peppe Chupa Chups is running away... I want to tell you, I don't know how he'll take this answer because Peppe doesn't think straight!" Faced with the victim's demands for time, Camassa's tone became even more threatening, demanding that he pay the money because the clan's leaders might react badly to a refusal, adding that... omitted... he had granted the option of paying in monthly installments.
“No one can stop us”: the epilogue
The story culminates on the morning of February 19th. Camassa returns to the company's forecourt to demand payment. The entrepreneur, desperate to buy more time and protect his safety, offers a symbolic advance of 500 euros.
The clan's tax collector, outraged by what he considered a paltry offer, blurts out: "You don't understand anything, Peppe is just waiting for my answer, now I'll get out of the way and you and them can deal with it!"
Then, with chilling bravado, he refers to the arrest of his accomplice Vincenzo Valentino, who had been arrested in another operation three days earlier: "Did you see Enzo? They arrested him! People think we're going to stop them... no one stops us!" The threats, however, had no effect.
The thorough investigation by the Carabinieri of the Cercola station, supported by the unequivocal surveillance footage provided by the entrepreneur himself, led the investigating judge of the Court of Naples, Donatella Bove, to order the pre-trial detention of Camassa, Valentino, and Borriello.
Yesterday, Vincenzo Valentino, known as "O' Veloce," appeared before the investigating judge for preliminary hearing. Represented by Luca Gili, he exercised his right to remain silent.
Interesting article but too many confusing pieces, I'm no expert but it seems that the company was in the crosshairs and the people of the neighborhood are gripped by fear, the police are trying but it's not enough, one hopes that justice will be done, but doubts remain about who is in charge, PeppeChupaChups and company are mentioned but the names are mixed up, it's not all clear.