“SPARTACUS” OPERATION

In 1993, the DIA started a complex investigation which led to dismantling the  CASALESI clan, and allowed to ascertain the increasingly growing financial and business skills of the camorra organization, as well as its branches in other Italian regions and foreign territories.
 The investigative activity which was developed along more lines of inquiry led  the Judicial Authority to issue, over the last decade, more than 300 pre-trial detention orders and to seize assets from the cosche for a value of 1.3 billion euro, approx. The following are the highlights.
On 16.02.1996 the Naples Judicial Authority issued 15 pre-trial detention orders against members of the banda della Magliana and the NUVOLETTA clan, who were believed to be behind the murder of a known trade unionist killed in Caserta on 11.10.1993.
On 17.06.1996, in order to enforce measures issued by the Prevention Measures Section of the  S. Maria Capua Vetere Court, the D.I.A. seized 199 buildings, 52 lands, 14 companies, 12 cars and 3 boats for a total value of 354 billion liras. The measures were the result of a proposal for the application of personal and asset-related prevention measures by the DIA Director against members of the mentioned camorra clan, held to be responsible for mafia –type association, murder, extortion, robbery and other serious crimes.
On 12.08.1996, in order to enforce 10 measures issued by the competent Prevention Measures Section of  the S. Maria Capua Vetere Court against 10 members of the clan headed by the notorious boss SCHIAVONE, movable and immovable assets resulting from illegal activities were seized for a total amount of about 400 billion liras. Also these measures were the result of a proposal for the application of personal and asset-related prevention measures by the DIA Director.
On 22.10.1996, in cooperation with the local Police forces 86 restrictive measures issued by the Naples Judicial Authority were enforced in the Caserta province against 86 individuals held responsible for Mafia –type association, murder and extortion. The arrestees included politicians, members of the police forces as well as entrepreneurs from the Campania region.
Investigations revealed further elements on the illicit activities of the CASALESI criminal syndicate. Thanks to this it was possible to shed full light on the murder on 2.07.1982 of Carabinieri officer Salvatore NUVOLETTA. Moreover, 3 orders for the application of personal and asset-related prevention measures were issued against three members of said clan. An ingenious and original mechanism was also identified to launder illicit capital by purchasing thoroughbred racing horses, to be employed in the most known equestrian competitions, and by managing stables. Said measures led to the seizure of 19 thoroughbred horses and equestrian infrastructures for a very huge commercial value.
 On 21.01.1997 the S. Maria Capua Vetere Court accepted the proposal by the DIA Director and issued a measure for the seizure of movable and immovable assets and company shares against 4 members of the CASALESI clan, for an amount of tens of billions liras.
On 25.3.1997 two fugitives were arrested, both leading members of said clan. Subsequently, on 8 August 4 orders were issued to seize movable and immovable assets, as well as 17 orders to enforce the public security special surveillance prevention measure and to confiscate  assets  from 21 clan members.
 On 8.10.1997, 2 pre-trial detention orders issued by the Naples Judicial Authority were enforced against two individuals who were held responsible for attempted aggravated extortion.
On 15.10.1997 the S. Maria Capua Vetere Court issued 3 pre-trial detention orders against 3 individuals who were held responsible for murder.
On 6.11.1997 2 orders were issued  by the competent Section of  the S. Maria Capua Vetere Court to enforce  prevention measures  against two entrepreneurs.
In July 1998 the DIA in cooperation with the State Police and the Guardia di Finanza of Caserta, enforced 135 pre-trial detention orders against 135 individuals, including 20 members of the Guardia di Finanza, who were believed to be responsible, in various capacities, for corruption, bribery, aggravated fraud and other crimes.
On 17 May 1999 a further pre-trial detention order was issued against 7 individuals who were held to be responsible, in various capacities,  for a murder perpetrated in 1991 at San Cipriano d’Aversa (CE).
In May 2000 the Naples Judicial Authority issued 3 pre-trial detention orders against SCHIAVONE Francesco and two other camorra members, who were held to be responsible for a murder perpetrated on 9.10.1988 at Vairano Patenora (CE).
Finally, in July 2002,  6  pre-trial detention orders issued by the Naples Court were enforced against 6 leading members of the mentioned clan, held to be responsible, in various capacities, for the murder of SCHIAVONE Donato, committed at S. Antimo (Naples) on 6 October 199 in the context of a war between opposing groups in the countryside of Aversa.
In the framework of this complex and many-sided operation, of importance is the line of inquiry named “SPARTACUS 3-OMICIDI” that started in November 1999 following the separation of proceeding made by the Naples D.D.A. with regard to more than 100 murders perpetrated  over the ‘80s  and ‘90s in the province of Caserta.
On 30 May 2002, the Naples Operations Centre enforced an arrest order, which later became a pre-trial detention order, issued by the Naples Preliminary Investigation Judge (G.I.P.) against 10 individuals held to be responsible, in various capacities, for 4 murders perpetrated between 1985 and 1995 in the province of Caserta.
On 13 October 2003 the a.m. Operations Centre enforced a pre-trial detention order against the notorious BIDOGNETTI Francesco and his son Aniello who were held responsible for the murder of Gennaro FALCO. The latter, a doctor in the Municipality of Parete (Caserta) was killed on 29 October 1993 because he was believed to be responsible for the death of the boss’s wife who died in 1986 following a serious illness.
On 5 August 2005 a pre-trial detention measure was enforced against a leading member of the Caserta mafia group for murder, illegal possession of weapons and other serious crimes. In November 2005 another pre-trial detention order was enforced against five camorra members from Caserta, who were held to be responsible for murder, illegal possession of weapons and other.
On 22 June 2006, the DIA officers enforced a pre-trial detention measure issued by the Naples G.I.P. against a prominent figure of a mafia-type association.
Finally, on 26.09.2013, the DIA confiscated companies, real estates and lands for an amount of about 50 million euro from the heirs of PASSARELLI Dante, considered to be the economic-financial person of reference of the CASALESI clan, who was arrested on 5.12.1995 and who died in 2004.
Trial results: the Spartacus trial ended in January 2010 with the judgment of the Court of Cassation by which the boss SCHIAVONE Francesco, his former right-hand man BIDOGNETTI Francesco and the two bosses – IOVINE Antonio and ZAGARIA Michele – who had taken up the reigns of the clan and who were fugitives at the time of the judgment, were sentenced, among others,  to life prison for camorra-like association, murder and extortion.