€3.2 million hidden in walls of house in Caivano, near Naples
Italian police seized more than 3 million euros concealed in the walls, floor and shower of a suspected drug baron's house in Caivano. Thirty-four people were arrested in this investigation targeting the Camorra.
Record seizure in Caivano: millions from the Camorra concealed behind walls
According to charentelibre.fr, Italian police recovered more than 3.2 million euros in cash, concealed in the walls, beneath the flooring and behind the shower tray of a property belonging to a suspected drug baron in Caivano, a north-eastern suburb of Naples.
The discovery is part of an investigation opened in 2023, which resulted on Monday in the arrest of 34 people. The suspects are accused of belonging to an armed criminal association and of having used mafia methods to fuel large-scale drug trafficking.
The search was triggered by information from a suspect arrested in July 2025, who agreed to cooperate as a witness. Two days after this arrest, investigators searched the house thoroughly.
"We all knew the money was there, but we didn't know exactly where," said Naples prosecutor Nicola Gratteri. "Many of these bundles were concealed in the walls, in compartments built into fitted furniture. Others were hidden beneath the flooring and the shower tray."
In addition to the cash, law enforcement also seized Kalashnikov rifles, other military weapons, and collector's watches.
According to prosecutor Gratteri, telephone wiretaps played a central role in the investigation, as is systematically the case in organised crime matters.
Local news site Anteprime24 reports that the money was guarded by the drug baron's wife, assisted by her own minor children, tasked with monitoring the hiding places around the clock. Electronic security systems also protected the caches.
Investigators had focused on a district of Caivano reputed to be a hub for cocaine trafficking. The city had already made headlines in 2023, following the revelation of the gang rape of two cousins aged 10 and 11.
The Camorra, a criminal organisation principally based in the Naples region, is among the three major Italian mafia groups, alongside Sicilian Cosa Nostra and Calabrian 'Ndrangheta.
Source: Google News FR — Crime (fr)