Casalesi clan’s Russo‑Schiavone faction hit with 22 arrests in Naples

The Naples anti‑mafia police (DIA) executed precautionary custody orders for 22 individuals alleged to belong to the Russo‑Schiavone faction of the Casalesi clan. Prosecutors accuse them of Camorristic association, fictitious asset registration, money‑laundering, extortion and illegal gambling operations, including the use of prohibited gaming devices. A rapid seizure targeted 14 companies—bars, a beach resort, a swimming pool with bar, a pizzeria, a betting hall, as well as real estate and vehicles—valued at over €2 million. Investigations, launched in 2022, mapped the clan’s hierarchy, linking the arrested members to Giuseppe Russo (“Peppe o’ padrino”) and the late Francesco Schiavone (“Sandokan”). The operation also uncovered the group’s role in channeling illicit proceeds into legitimate businesses and resolving internal disputes through intimidation and punitive assaults.

The coordinated crackdown aims to disrupt the clan’s financial networks and curb the exploitation of illegal gambling and drug distribution activities in the Castel Volturno area of Caserta province.