The Camorra: Naples' bloody legacy to global crime
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Quick Facts
From chaos to shadow rule: The Camorra's early power
The Camorra, an Italian [Internal Link Placeholder] organization with roots in the Campania region around Naples, has over centuries established itself as a brutal shadow government, deeply involved in organized crime such as [Internal Link Placeholder], drug trafficking, and [Internal Link Placeholder]. Originating in the chaotic years following the fall of the Kingdom of Naples in 1799, when a power vacuum emerged, police reports from 1820 already documented the first organized meetings in a secret tribunal known as Gran Mamma. Here, the initial rules for membership and punishment for betrayal were laid down in the so-called frieno. However, it was under the rule of the Bourbon kings, particularly King Ferdinand II, that the Camorra truly gained a foothold through a strategic move: camorristi were incorporated into the police force and city administration, creating a symbiosis between state and crime whose consequences still affect the region today. Salvatore De Crescenzo, the first recognized leader in the 1860s, also called the 'King of Naples,' demonstrated the organization's ability to control daily life by taking over customs control in the port, regulating market trade, and dictating prices, making the Camorra an indispensable part of the city's economy. His successor, Ciccio Cappuccio, formalized the structure with twelve district leaders, capintriti, who reported directly to him—an organization that helped the Camorra survive [Internal Link Placeholder] unification in 1861.
Raffaele Cutolo and NCO: Brutal Camorra resurgence
While many considered the Camorra to be in decline after the turn of the century, it re-emerged with renewed brutality under Raffaele Cutolo, known as 'The Professor,' in the 1970s. From his prison cell in Poggioreale prison, he created the Nuova Camorra Organizzata (NCO), a militant unit based on prison hierarchy. Cutolo was a master at recruiting young inmates who found protection and purpose in the NCO. His 'charity' towards prisoners' families were strategic investments. Under Cutolo's [Internal Link Placeholder], the Camorra shifted its focus from local [Internal Link Placeholder] to international drug trafficking. While the Sicilian [Internal Link Placeholder] dominated heroin, Cutolo focused on cocaine and established alliances with [Internal Link Placeholder] [Internal Link Placeholder] in the 1980s. A network of shell companies for [Internal Link Placeholder] was built, laying the foundation for today's billion-euro [Internal Link Placeholder]; a single seizure of 538 kg of cocaine in the port of Genoa in 2019, with a street value of 200 million euros, attests to the scale.
Power struggles: Blood feuds in the Camorra wars
Cutolo's empire did not fall to the police, but to internal strife. The Casalesi clan, led by Antonio Bardellino, was one of NCO's allies. Bardellino's [Internal Link Placeholder] in 1988, carried out by his own lieutenant Mario Iovine in [Internal Link Placeholder], triggered a wave of [Internal Link Placeholder] power struggles. Bardellino had foreseen cocaine's potential and used fishmeal companies as a cover for smuggling. His death left a power vacuum that split the organization into rival factions. In the 1990s, the Secondigliano Alliance emerged as a new dominant force, partly led by Maria Licciardi, one of the few female [Internal Link Placeholder] bosses. They combined traditional [Internal Link Placeholder] with [Internal Link Placeholder]. Licciardi's controversial decision in 1999 to reject a shipment of pure Turkish heroin, a rare ethical choice, cost her power. Her arrest in 2001 paved the way for clans like the Di Lauro family, whose brutality during the Camorra war of 2004-05 resulted in over 60 deaths.
State's battle: Operations and toll on Campania
The Italian state's fight against the Camorra is a constant, [Internal Link Placeholder] effort. Operations like Operazione Spartacus in 2008, which led to the arrest of over 100 members of the Secondigliano Alliance, and the seizure of the Zaza clan's assets worth 540 million euros in 2025, demonstrate the state's determination. But the Camorra's ability to adapt and regenerate is remarkable. When Patrizio Bosti, a leader from the Secondigliano Alliance, was released from prison in 2020 due to legal loopholes, the organization was reportedly ready to resume its activities within hours. The highest price is paid by civil society in Campania. Journalist Giancarlo Siani was [Internal Link Placeholder] in 1985 for exposing gang alliances. The tragic fate of the Giaccio family, whose son was dissolved in acid after a case of mistaken identity, underscores the brutal consequences of the Camorra's omertà code. Even in death, victims are often denied a grave, their existence erased to hide the traces of the crime.
Global and digital: The Camorra's modern crime
Today, the Camorra has globalized further. Cooperation with international criminal groups such as [Internal Link Placeholder] Gulf Clan and [Internal Link Placeholder] drug [Internal Link Placeholder] has transformed it from a regional to a transnational player. Emanuele Gregorini's arrest in Cartagena in 2025, while coordinating cocaine shipments to Amsterdam, is an example of this new reality. Furthermore, the Camorra has moved into the digital world with Bitcoin laundering via [Internal Link Placeholder] and cyber [Internal Link Placeholder] of international companies. Meanwhile, the illegal dumping of toxic waste in Campania continues to poison the land. Amidst this darkness, however, there are signs of resistance. Antonio Piccirillo, son of a Camorra boss, has chosen to break with his heritage and now fights against the recruitment of [Internal Link Placeholder] into the organization. His story represents a small hope in a region where the Camorra's grip remains strong.
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Susanne Sperling
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