Italian anti-mafia forces found €3.2 million hidden in the walls, floors and furniture of an apartment in Caivano near Naples during a dawn raid that resulted in 34 arrests. Investigators also seized 11 Rolex watches, weapons and drug-dealing paraphernalia. Prosecutors said the suspects are linked to the Angelino clan and that the investigation relied on wiretaps and informant tips. The recovered funds will be transferred to Italy's Justice Fund while inquiries into the group's operations continue.
€3.2 Million Hidden in Naples-Area Apartment — 34 Arrested in Anti‑Mafia Raid
The cash was stacked in bundles of 50-euro notes at an address in Naples, Italy. - Napoli Police
Italian anti-mafia investigators recovered €3.2 million (about $3.6 million) stashed inside the walls, floors and furniture of an apartment in Caivano, near Naples, during an early-morning raid that led to the arrests of 34 people.
Details of the Seizure
Units from the Naples Carabinieri said the cash was found in bundles of €50 notes, wrapped in cellophane and arranged in neat rows concealed beneath tiles and inside hidden wardrobe drawers. Officers removed the bundles in plastic mop buckets and loaded them into an armoured vehicle. Investigators also seized 11 luxury Rolex watches, firearms and items associated with drug dealing.
Investigation and Methods
The operation was the culmination of a months-long sting led by Neapolitan anti-mafia prosecutor Nicola Gratteri. Authorities said the probe relied on informant testimony and extensive electronic surveillance after detecting mobile phones that had been smuggled into prisons by relatives of incarcerated mob figures.
"To demonstrate the importance of the operation, in just one home, we seized €3.2 million in cash, as well as valuable watches," Gratteri told reporters in Naples.
Prosecutors say those detained are alleged members of the Angelino clan, which investigators contend had become deeply embedded in Caivano. The municipality was placed under judicial administration last year amid concerns about organised-crime influence.
Political Reaction and Wider Context
The arrests renewed scrutiny of the so-called "Caivano Model," a 2023 urban regeneration and crime-prevention package introduced by the national government. Cabinet Secretary Alfredo Mantovano has described the decree as a pilot to be applied elsewhere to tackle juvenile crime and drug dealing through social and infrastructural measures. Opposition lawmakers, however, criticised the initiative after the raid, saying political claims of decisive victories over organised crime did not match the realities revealed by the investigation.
Charges and Next Steps
The 34 detainees face charges including mafia-style criminal association, drug trafficking, extortion and possession of drugs for the purpose of resale, according to the Carabinieri. Authorities said the probe exposed an "entrepreneurial" criminal structure that used staggered shifts and assigned roles to carry out illegal activities.
The seized cash will be transferred to Italy's Justice Fund, which supports victims of organised crime. Gratteri — whose office has faced recent budget cuts — quipped that the recovery would help finance future wiretaps needed for similar investigations.
Authorities said inquiries are ongoing to determine the full scope of the network's activities in the Naples area.
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