Casapesenna Reborn: From Camorra to Center for Legality, Work, and Social Inclusion

Casapesenna, one of the areas most affected by the Camorra, today presents itself as a concrete example of rebirth and legality. On Friday, July 10, two properties confiscated from organized crime were returned to the community, becoming places of service, employment, and social inclusion.

The inauguration ceremony, rich in symbolic and institutional significance, was attended by the President of the Campania Region, Roberto Fico, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of the Interior, Wanda Ferro, the Mayor of Casapesenna, Giustina Zagaria, the Director of the National Agency for Confiscated Assets, Maria Rosaria Laganà, and many other civil, political, and religious authorities.

The first project involves the Pet Welfare Center, built on a 750-square-meter site previously confiscated from Alfredo Zara. The building, once abandoned and vandalized, has been transformed into a space dedicated to pet care, the prevention of abandonment, and the fight against stray animals. The initiative, funded by state funds and managed by ANPAA, represents a new social outreach for the area.

The second property returned is a social dairy with an artisanal production facility for Mozzarella di Bufala Campana, located on a property confiscated from a relative of clan leader Michele Zagaria. The building, also damaged, was restored thanks to a €1,4 million investment from regional funds. The dairy, managed by the Raggio di Sole social cooperative, offers employment opportunities, particularly for women victims of violence, and promotes social cohesion through the production of a product that is a symbol of the Campania region.

Campania Regional President Roberto Fico emphasized the value of these initiatives as a testament to the state's presence and ability to transform confiscated assets into opportunities for development and legality. Undersecretary Wanda Ferro emphasized how the restitution of assets to the community represents a social as well as a judicial victory, while Regional Director Maria Rosaria Laganà called Casapesenna a model for revitalization for a region that has suffered severe damage from organized crime.

The day confirmed the teamwork between local, regional, and national authorities, law enforcement agencies, and civic associations, demonstrating that the fight against crime also involves valorizing assets seized from the mafia. With this gesture, Casapesenna is renewing a message of hope and encouraging the community, especially young people, to believe in the future and in legality.