Sorrento: An illegal beach club manager was arrested for attempted corruption during an inspection by MP Borrelli.

Sorrento – An on-site inspection turned into a judicial operation. During a raid by Green-Left Alliance MP Francesco Emilio Borrelli, who has been campaigning for weeks to restore legality along the coast south of Naples, officers from the Sorrento Police Station arrested one of the managers of an illegal facility in Pignatella, a well-known area adjacent to the Bagni della Regina Giovanna bathing establishment.

The man allegedly attempted to bribe one of the officers who responded to the scene to avoid being checked. The MP himself shared the news on his social media channels.

Outlawed beach and passage tax

During the investigation, Borrelli documented the presence of a lucrative illegal business run by two individuals. An unlicensed accommodation facility had been set up on the cliff, located in an area expressly closed to the public due to the risk of rockfall from the tuff cliff.

A storage area containing over 300 sunbeds and hundreds of umbrellas was located on site. The management system required a €10 fee to rent the sunbeds, plus an entrance fee for anyone simply passing through the parking area to reach the beach.

The issues regarding controls and responsibilities

The incident raises questions about the effectiveness of local controls. The MP and residents are seeking clarification from the competent authorities—specifically the Local Police and Coast Guard—to understand how such a large-scale operation could be established on a site subject to hydrogeological restrictions and risks without timely intervention. Investigations into concessions and any permits are ongoing.

An expanding campaign on the Neapolitan coast

The Pignatella initiative is part of a series of inspections that have already involved the municipalities of Torre del Greco, Castellammare di Stabia, and Vico Equense, garnering numerous complaints from residents. The next announced step involves the Meta di Sorrento coastline, where critical issues have been identified regarding the respect for public beach spaces and the occupation of the five-meter strip from the shoreline reserved by law for free passage.