Officers from the Naples Carabinieri Forestry Group – Environmental, Agri-food and Forestry Police Investigative Unit (NIPAAF), together with technical personnel from ARPAC, conducted an inspection at the Ciro Abagnale Sas di Abagnale Carmela & C. canning factory, which processes and preserves tomatoes, tomato products, and other fruit and vegetable products in Sant'Antonio Abate.
The activity is part of the inspections planned and coordinated by the Torre Annunziata Public Prosecutor's Office to identify and eliminate the causes of pollution of the Sarno River and its tributaries.
The contested irregularities
The investigations revealed that the company's wastewater discharge exceeded the limits established for assimilation with domestic wastewater, with volumes significantly higher than those permitted by regional regulations. Furthermore, the 2.093 kW boiler serving the plant was found to be without an atmospheric emissions permit: the previous permit had expired.
Finally, unlawful management of the temporary storage of hazardous and non-hazardous special waste was discovered: sewage sludge stored beyond the legal deadline, contaminated packaging, fluorescent tubes, and electrical cables.
The seals and the investigation into the Sarno
Upon completion of the inspection, given the lack of environmental permits, the military proceeded with the emergency partial precautionary seizure of the production line, the final tank of the chemical-physical purification plant, the boiler, and the areas designated for the illegal storage of hazardous special waste. This measure was taken to prevent the continuation of the crimes and the worsening of the consequences.
The operation is part of a broader investigative effort, conducted systematically by the Carabinieri Forestali and other police forces with the technical support of ARPAC, under the coordination of the Torre Annunziata Public Prosecutor's Office.
The goal is to identify and eliminate the sources of pollution from the Sarno River and its tributaries, implementing the memorandum of understanding signed on December 17, 2025, by the Public Prosecutor's Offices of Avellino, Nocera Inferiore, and Torre Annunziata, the Public Prosecutor's Offices of Naples and Salerno, ARPAC, and the competent judicial police authorities.
The proceedings are in the preliminary investigation phase: the seizure must be validated by the preliminary investigations judge, and the suspect cannot be considered guilty until a final sentence is issued, based on the presumption of innocence.
Details on the seizure of the canning factory in Sant'Antonio Abate
Here is some key information regarding the seizure of the canning industry and the irregularities found.
- Illegal exhausts: The company's wastewater exceeded the permitted limits for assimilation into domestic water.
- Unauthorized boiler: The plant's boiler did not have an authorization for atmospheric emissions.
- Special waste: Illegal management of hazardous waste, including sewage sludge and contaminated packaging.
- Preventive seizure: The production line, the purification tank and the waste storage areas were seized.
- Investigations underway: The investigation is coordinated by the Torre Annunziata Public Prosecutor's Office and aims to eliminate the sources of pollution in the Sarno River.
