Naples, from an apartment to an "illegal hub" for inmates' relatives: Carabinieri shut down a clandestine bar in Poggioreale.

Naples – It was supposed to be a simple private residence, a place for domestic and family life. Yet, once inside, one found oneself in front of a veritable illegal commercial bar, created to intercept and cater to the every need of relatives awaiting admission to Poggioreale prison.

A completely illegal business, set up in premises used for residential purposes, without any authorization and transformed into a profitable multi-service borderline, sheltered from the law.

The Carabinieri of the Poggioreale Company put an end to the thriving informal business by conducting thorough checks across the area, sealing off the facility and imposing administrative fines exceeding €7.000.

The interview kit: parcel scale, storage and smartphone case

The building, located a short distance from the prison entrance, had gradually transformed into an essential logistical reference point for visitors.

The services offered were tailored to the needs of those who had to meet with their inmate family members. Inside, the weighing and preparation of packages for inmates took place—a crucial operation to comply with the strict weight restrictions imposed by prison regulations—as well as luggage storage for backpacks and bags, which are prohibited from being brought into the interview rooms.

But the most requested service, and undoubtedly the most profitable, was smartphone storage. Since there's an absolute ban on bringing communication devices into prison, family members were forced to leave their phones outside. The fake bar offered storage at "popular rates": a few euros per device, which, multiplied by hundreds of daily contacts, guaranteed a steady and substantial income.

The Social Media Deception and the Wednesday Peak

Business peaked on busiest days, with a regular peak every Wednesday, the day traditionally dedicated to interviews. The business was managed in a comprehensive and unscrupulous manner, with extensive promotion and advertising on social media to attract out-of-town customers.