CAMORRA

Camorra

Chapter 1: Introduction

Introduction

The Camorra is an old criminal society places which existed in the early 1800's the Region of Campania, Italy, with core capital is Naples. The Camorra often referred to as 'The System' by insiders, its branches worldwide. The most notorious and dangerous organizations are not Lauro, Nuvoletta and Casalesi clan. Unlike the Camorra Mafia, the Camorra has also some women who play major roles in their families.

Background

The Camorra is said by some authoritative sources to have originated in Garduna, a late-Middle Ages criminal society based in Seville, Spain, which was transported to Naples when Spain took control of the region. Compared to its counterparts elsewhere in Italy, the UNITA Sacra corona in Puglia and the 'Ndrangheta sa Calabria, it is more involved in piracy. Also, compared to the pyramidal structure Camorra Cosa Nostra's, the Camorra is made up of many families who often fight each other. Drive-by shootings by camorrista often result in casualties among the local population, but such episodes are often difficult to investigate because of the widespread Omertà.

Enrico Alfano

Vitterbo photos during the trial, 1911. One of the first known public Camorristi is Enrico Alfano, someone who grew up in the streets of Naples and the Camorra was affliated with a young age. In 1906 he orchestrated the murder of Gennaro Cuocolo alleged traitor and his wife. Before he could recover he fled to America where he joined fellow Camorristi in Brooklyn, New York. Alfano is no stranger to many of them and he was threated with respect. Rapdily he filled in a leading role within the organization but is soon to be noticed by Joseph Petrosino Italian 'supercop'. Petrosino received a letter from an unknown person who informed him that Alfano is a wanted fugitive from Naples and the leader of a secret society. Petrosino and his squad soon arrested Alfano in 1907 and sent him back by boat to Italy where he will stand trial. Alfano however sent a death sentence in Petrosino. 2 years later Petrosino was murdered while being in Palermo for investigation. It is not clear whether Petrosino was murdered by Alfano's son or he was murdered by the Camorra Mafia as many books claim. Alfano was however charged with his murder.

After being jailed for a couple of years of testing began in 1911 in Vitterbo, near Rome. The trial has become one of the largest in Italian history as many gangsters are charged with the murder of Cuoccolo and other criminal activities. All the accused men were sitting in a giant prison while being in court, much like the Maxi Trial 75 years later. Alfano and many others were found guilty and received long prison sentences.

The New York Camorra

The Camorra also had a presence in America during the early 1900's. Many Italians left Europe for the land of the free period of the mid 1800's and early 1900's. Among the people where many criminals to continue their business extortion. In New York's notorious Camorra branch in Staten Island and Brooklyn, from ...