The Camorra organized crime boss Paolo Di Lauro is arrested in Naples, Italy.
Paolo Di Lauro (Italian pronunciation: [paolo di lauro]; born August 26, 1953) is an Italian crime boss, leader of the Di Lauro Clan, a Camorra crime organization. He is also known as Ciruzzo 'o milionario (Neapolitan for ''Ciruzzo the millionaire'') among other aliases. In 2002 he was included in the list of most wanted fugitives in Italy and was captured in September 2005.
The Camorra (Italian: [kaˈmɔrra]; Neapolitan: [kaˈmorrə]) is an Italian Mafia-type criminal organization and criminal society originating in the region of Campania. It is one of the oldest and largest criminal organizations in Italy, dating to the 17th century. Unlike the pyramidal structure of the Sicilian Mafia, the Camorra's organizational structure is divided into individual groups also called "clans". Every capo or "boss" is the head of a clan, in which there may be tens or hundreds of affiliates, depending on the clan's power and structure. Consequently, as Camorra clans act independently, they are more prone to feuding among themselves. The Camorra's main businesses are drug trafficking, racketeering, counterfeiting and money laundering. It is also not unusual for Camorra clans to infiltrate the politics of their respective areas.
Since the early 1980s and its involvement in the drug trafficking business, the Camorra has acquired a strong presence in other European countries, particularly Spain. Usually Camorra clans maintain close contacts with South American drug cartels, which facilitates the arrival of drugs in Europe.
According to Naples public prosecutor Giovanni Melillo, during a 2021 speech of the Antimafia Commission, the most powerful groups of the Camorra in the present day are the Mazzarella clan and the Secondigliano Alliance. The latter is an alliance of the Licciardi, Contini and Mallardo clans.