They showed up one day after the bar opened. Here we are, it’s us, the area is ours. They want protection money: to be safe they are 4 thousand euros, «but for you who have just inaugurated, it is 2500 euros. Then I’ll see you at Christmas and Easter.”
Arrest aggravated by the mafioso, four in cell, on Friday morning the validation of the arrest of the prosecutor who had started just two days ago. Via Gennaro Serra, we are in an iconic place in Naples: we are close to Piazza del Plebiscito, a stone’s throw from the Italian Institute for Philosophical Studies, near the alleys of Pizzofalcone, on that “balloon” chosen by the Greeks as the first settlement in the city of new foundation. A few days ago, the Mobile blitz of the first manager Giovanni Leuci. In summary, four detention decrees are issued: they end up in handcuffs Gennaro Sesso, Ciro Sesso, Giuseppe Abate, Pasquale Ottaviano. Four in handcuffs, accused of aggravated extortion by the mafia, the investigative breakthrough does not happen by chance. The courage of the entrepreneurs who were victims of the attempted protection money request was decisive, as they decided to turn to the institutions.
They appealed to the police and reconstructed the extortion they suffered on two occasions, as soon as they opened their doors. Plus there are images, since the place was protected by a video surveillance system. Therefore, the accusations of the offended parties, the reconstruction of the profile of the characters involved, the images found in the documents, the picture seems solid. But who are the subjects arrested? Defended by the criminal lawyer Mario Brunothe four suspects remain in cell, in light of the validation of the arrests by the DDA prosecutor. There are those who confessed, while one of the suspects explained that he was unrelated to the accusations, claiming that he did not recognize himself in the images collected by the Naples DDA.
Investigation conducted by the prosecutor Celeste Carrano, magistrate in the anti-Camorra pool of the Naples Prosecutor’s Office led by prosecutor Nicola Gratteri. An investigation that has been underway for some time into what happens in the alleys near Pizzofalcone. But let’s read the key points of the investigation, in light of the precautionary measure signed by investigating judge Marco Giordano. It was last June 15th, when – riding a scooter – two individuals, later identified in Ciro Sesso and Giuseppe Abate.
Few words, but one way: «We are from the neighborhood and we make you stay here and here we make you stay quiet… you have now opened, we have informed ourselves, we know that you are from Barra, so we will explain to you what the rules consist of : usually, other traders give us a gift three times a year (Christmas, Easter and August), the amount is 4 thousand euros, but since you’ve now opened we’ll give you 2500 euros”.
A second blitz, with another request is made to the partner of the first owner, by Gennaro Sesso and Pasquale Ottaviano, at least according to what was the reconstruction of the judge, in light of the documents forwarded by the DDA of Naples. Of the four, Gennaro Sesso is the only one who tried to deny the accusations.
An episode that must be placed in an evolving criminal context, in light of the conflict between the historic clan leaders of the Elia group and those who now belong to the so-called Sesso group. Precisely in the context of this contrast, there were moments of tension, culminating in the murder of 5 July 2023, with the crime of Pasquale Sesso, at the hands – according to the investigations – of Pasquale Balaeff.
In short, behind those of the Sesso there would be the Mazzarella, a sort of criminal holding company that controls a part of the metropolitan area, in a scenario of contrast with those of the Secondigliano Alliance. Simplifying, reducing to the minimum terms, there remain two criminal cartels that compete for illegal proceeds between the alleys of the center and the arteries of the suburbs. But let’s go back to the racket in via Serra. For the investigating judge, some moments of the extortion request were collected live, thanks to video and audio now being examined.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Read the full article at
The morning
