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MANFREDONIA, ITALY - 3 FEBRUARY 2022: Dario Melillo (62), owner of the bathing establishment "L'Ultima Spiaggia" (Last Resort), is seen here with his cousin Giovanni Longhi (75), walking towards the remain of a fire attack on January 23rd, in Manfredonia, Italy, on February 3rd 2022.

A wave of bomb attacks on shops and businesses by a little-known but powerful mafia is terrorising the southern Italian area of Foggia. A wave of bomb attacks on shops and businesses by a little-known but powerful mafia is terrorising the southern Italian area of Foggia.

The group, which has a reputation for extreme violence, destroyed at least a dozen local businesses, such as a perfume shop, a hairdresser and a car showroom in January. Most of the owners of these businesses had refused to pay a “protection fee” to the mob. No-one has been injured in the bombings.

Last year, many shop owners reported to the police the mafia’s attempt to extort them. This has led to the arrest of a number of mafia bosses and seizure of assets worth millions of euros.

The group is much less powerful than the Cosa Nostra or the ‘Ndrangheta, but it permeates the whole area. That has made Foggia one of the poorest parts of Puglia, which in turn is the most economically advanced region of southern Italy.

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©2022 Gianni Cipriano
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2022-02-03-WSJ-Foggia-Mafia
MANFREDONIA, ITALY - 3 FEBRUARY 2022: Dario Melillo (62), owner of the bathing establishment "L'Ultima Spiaggia" (Last Resort), is seen here with his cousin Giovanni Longhi (75), walking towards the remain of a fire attack on January 23rd, in Manfredonia, Italy, on February 3rd 2022.<br /> <br /> A wave of bomb attacks on shops and businesses by a little-known but powerful mafia is terrorising the southern Italian area of Foggia. A wave of bomb attacks on shops and businesses by a little-known but powerful mafia is terrorising the southern Italian area of Foggia.<br /> <br /> The group, which has a reputation for extreme violence, destroyed at least a dozen local businesses, such as a perfume shop, a hairdresser and a car showroom in January. Most of the owners of these businesses had refused to pay a “protection fee” to the mob. No-one has been injured in the bombings.<br /> <br /> Last year, many shop owners reported to the police the mafia’s attempt to extort them. This has led to the arrest of a number of mafia bosses and seizure of assets worth millions of euros.<br /> <br /> The group is much less powerful than the Cosa Nostra or the ‘Ndrangheta, but it permeates the whole area. That has made Foggia one of the poorest parts of Puglia, which in turn is the most economically advanced region of southern Italy.