Police flying squad officers
arrested nine Camorra mobsters at dawn Friday on charges running
an extensive extortion racket bilking thousands of euros from
shopkeepers, bars and even drug dealers, police said.
The nine belonged to the Bidognetti faction of the feared
Casalesi clan of the Camorra operating in the Caserta area just
north of Naples.
Heads of the gang were identified as Gaetano Cerci, 50,
and Dionigi pacifico, 53.
The nine, based at the town of San Nicola la Strada on the
outskirts of Caserta, demanded protection money of between 500
and 1000 euros from bars, mozzarella sellers and even drug
dealers each Christmas, Easter and Ferragosto, police said.
Three of the nine also were charged with stealing coats and
the cash register from a well known fashion store in the centre
of Caserta.
The gang also ran a "credit collection" service that in one
case was used by the manager of a betting shop to try and
recover gambling debts run up by a soldier.
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