A Camorra mafia clan
discriminated between Italian and foreign market vendors in
extorting protection money, prosecution papers showed Friday.
The Mazzarella clan extorted 50 euros a week from
Neapolitans and 100 euros a week from foreigners with stalls at
the Maddalena neighborhood market, according to testimony from a
former Camorra extortion money collector who has turned State's
witness.
That racket was worth 13,000 euros a week, he told
prosecutors.
The clan was also discriminatory in terms of inventory:
foreigners had to purchase counterfeit Adidas and Nike footwear
at 30 euros a pair, which the clan bought from the Chinese in
Rome at 17 euros a pair.
Italians had to sell counterfeit Hogans, which the mafia
purchased at 27 euros and which the victims were allowed to
price at 35-40 euros a pair. The clan made 20,000 euros a week
in this way, the witness said.
The racketeers also forced vendors to buy 10 euros' worth
of plastic bags per stall, netting up to 1,300 euros a week.
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