Italian anti-mafia police seized 3.2 million EUR (approximately 3.6 million USD) in cash during a raid on a gang-related house in Caivano, Naples region, on 21/9.

Over 600 stacks of 50 euro notes, wrapped in nylon bags, were neatly arranged in wall crevices, under floor tiles, or in secret compartments of wardrobes. Investigators used plastic buckets to remove the money, which was then transported by armored vehicle to an evidence warehouse.

Police also seized 11 expensive Rolex watches, weapons, and tools potentially used for drug trafficking.

34 suspects from the Angelino gang, a notorious criminal group in Caivano, were arrested in this operation on charges of mafia-type association, drug trafficking, and extortion.

Italian police discover stacks of cash in the walls and floor of a mafia gang's house. Video: X/Radio1Rai

The raid was the culmination of a multi-month investigation led by Naples anti-mafia prosecutor Nicola Gratteri. It was initiated by testimony from individuals who voluntarily sought state protection, as well as through phone taps of jailed mafia members.

The seized money will be transferred to Italy's "Justice Fund", which supports victims of organized crime. Gratteri stated that this amount could cover phone tapping costs for one year in Naples.

He described the Angelino gang as operating on a "corporate" model, with members assigned to shifts to carry out illicit activities.

In 2023, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government launched an urban regeneration and crime prevention program called the "Caivano Model". The Italian government stated at the time that the program aimed to establish a central intervention model in Caivano, to be replicated in other eligible areas.

This model not only focuses on juvenile crime but also aims to create positive alternatives to street life and drug trafficking, according to Cabinet Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano.

By Thanh Danh (CNN, Radio1 Rai)