One of Italy's most-feared Mafias reveal how they recruit baby-faced children trends now
Young and fearless, four boys walk around a rundown estate on the outskirts of Naples.
Teenagers Hernesto, Alfredo, Gennaro and Manu* are members of what the authorities call a 'baby gang'. These so-called gangs terrorise Italian cities, robbing people, committing violent attacks and drug dealing.
The four boys live in the infamous suburb of Le Vele di Scampia, Naples, and work with mafia-style criminal organisation, the Camorra, which is based in the city.
The Camorra, one of the oldest and largest criminal institutions in the world, is known for recruiting children for its drug and crime operations, working in individual clans.
Teenagers Hernesto, Alfredo, Gennaro and Manu* are members of what the authorities call a 'baby gang'. Baby gangs terrorise Italian cities- robbing people, committing violent attacks and drug dealing. Pictured: The baby gang members in the new documentary
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Many baby gang members struggle to read and write and are under educated, leaving school in the equivalent of Year 6.
Speaking to Italian journalist Alessia Camoirano Bruges in a recent "VICE documentary, one Camorra member said of recruiting children in Naples: 'We test them. We ask them to kill someone.
'If they do it, great. If not, we kill them instead.'
Some of the teens recruited are 12 or 13, and ask to be part of the mafia-style group. Pictured: The baby gang
It comes as things change in the Camorra, with the traditional rule of omertà (silence) about criminal and illegal activities switching to 'stunting' and boasting on social media.
Camorra members now post their rich and lavish lifestyles online and encourage youngsters like the four boys to join their ranks.
One, Crescenzo Marino, the son of a Camorra boss, has more than 43,000 followers and nearly 900,000 likes on TikTok.
On his TikTok account, he flaunts designer clothing and watches, cruising around Paris in a Ferrari, playing with pitbulls and meeting well-known rappers.
Nowadays, some of the teens recruited are 12 or 13, and ask to be part of the mafia-style group.
Camorra members now post their rich and lavish lifestyles online and encourage youngsters like the four boys to join their ranks, including Crescenzo Marino, the son of a mafia boss, pictured left and right
Camorra members now post their rich and lavish lifestyles online and encourage youngsters like the four boys to join their ranks. Pictured: A baby gang member
Amazingly, the gang, watched closely by members of the Camorra, then expertly divided up 700g of white powder live on camera, pictured, telling Alessia that if they lose the drugs they will not make it home tonight
The group, pictured, described the drugs as a 'game' to Alessia and told her that they got into it through 'looking around'
In the present day, Alessia spoke to current Camorra members and the baby gang boys for the Vice documentary after travelling to Le Vele Scampia and Parco Verde.
Statistics showed that as of April 2020, according to figures released by the senate, unemployment affected more than 12 per cent of the Naples population.
Le Vele Scampia and Parco Verde are two of the biggest areas for organised crime and drug dealing.
Hernesto, Alfredo, Gennaro and Manu live in Le Vele Scampia. Many children there grow up in suffering and teens are drawn into gang life.
One told Alessia: 'Growing up in Le Vele is great because here you really understand what life is about. If you're Le Vele and we grew up together, I'll always be here for you.
'We're a family. But what brings us to make mistakes is that we grew up in suffering. We've seen deaths, drugs, hunger, our families destroyed due to lack of jobs.'
As baby gang members get older, they often move from petty crime into selling drugs, buying them from the Camorra or working for them. Hernesto, Alfredo, Gennaro and Manu work for the Camorra and sell drugs, making us much as one or two thousand euros a day.
They showed Alessia how the drugs operation works. Passing through a gate installed by the Camorra, they led her through to a drug house - which appeared like any other normal dwelling and played host to a mother and child.
Amazingly, the gang, watched closely by members of the Camorra, then expertly divided up 700g of white powder live on camera, telling Alessia that if they lose the drugs they will not make it home tonight.
The group described the drugs as a 'game' to Alessia and told her that they got into it through 'looking around.'
On selling them, they said: 'If we're selling drugs, it's because we want to build a future and help our family to bring the bread home. We're forced to do it because there are no jobs. There is nothing. We have drugs.
'That's what we do. That's our life. That's why our hearts turned cold. A round of applause for us.'
As the boys continued to sit at the table with the journalist, she noticed that they had a gun.
Asking how they got it, they told her they had bought it themselves. Shocked by their admission, Alessia asked if they had used it and was told that they had, quite often.
One of the boys said: 'It's like this, once you've drawn the gun, I mean you cant go back. You shoot or you shoot.
'Otherwise, why would you draw it in the first place?' If you hurt me, I take this and I hurt you even more badly. You hurt me with your words, I hurt you with this.'
Afterwards, the Camorra bosses seized their chance to speak to Alessia about the business, explaining that drug dealing was the most lucrative for them.
Astonishingly, the criminals can make up to 80,000 euros a day, depending on the numbers of drugs they sell. Their drug dealing can make them more than 7 billion euros per year.
They told Alessia that if the teens they recruit want to be in the Camorra, they will not stop them as it makes things easier for them.
The baby gang showed Alessia how the drugs operation works. Passing through a gate installed by the Camorra, they led her through to a drug house- which appeared like any other normal dwelling and played host to a mother and child. Pictured: The baby gang members weighing out the drugs they are selling
Le Vele di Scampia, pictured, is an area of brutalist architecture, in northern Naples and populated by a number of people from all walks of life
As the boys continued to sit at the table with the journalist, she noticed that they had a gun. Asking how they got it, they told her they had bought it. Shocked by their admission, Alessia asked if they had used it and was told that they had, quite often
Pictured: The baby gang members who told Alessia about their life in the group, and divided up drugs they were selling
A baby gang member said: 'They have to get the measure of you if you want to be a Camorrista. You need to be valued as a person, someone who has progressed against the odds since childhood.
'You have to do as you're commanded. If the camorra asked me to kill someone, I'd do it. Because if you don't, they kill you instead.'
Now, the power of social media means that the camorra show their strength to thousands of people and members of the public 'have to fear them.'
One alleged senior Camorra member from an influential family told Alessia that they use the networks to 'inspire' young people. They explained that if they post something on social media and a comment is left by a young person, they will reply to them.
Now, the power of social media means that the camorra show their strength to thousands of people and members of the public 'have to fear them.' One alleged senior Camorra member, pictured, from an influential family told Alessia that they use the networks to 'inspire' young people. They explained that if they post something on social media and a comment is left by a young person, they will reply to them
A baby gang member said that they are tested by the Camorra because they have to 'get the measure of you' and you need to be valued as a person, someone who has progressed against the odds since childhood. Pictured: Baby gang members
The boys, pictured, know that sooner or later they will all get caught and spend a few years in jail. But they boasted that when they get out, they will make twice as much money
Later, Alessia visited a pool bar which is allegedly run by the Camorra with the four boys. In areas such as Le Vele Scampia and Parco Verde, leisure activities for children and teens are limited.
Giving Alessia a glimpse into their lifestyle, the teens in the gang explained that they play football and pool in their free time.
All four boys admitted to Alessia that they also often go looking for trouble and had been out late the night before doing just that.
One told her: 'We did robberies- cars, mopeds- easy money. You can get up to £1,500.
'In one or two days you can bring home 2000 euros without doing sh** and you can buy whatever you want.'
The boy said that 'sooner or later' the whole group will get caught and risk three to four years in jail but as soon as they get out they will make 'twice as much money.'
None of the group fear anything, remarkable given the dangerous lifestyle they lead.
One said: 'We're not afraid of anything, even death. We know the consequences. That's the thing, we aren't afraid of anything. At 12, 13 years old I did my first robbery. I was with my friends and I only have my father. I lost my mother four years ago to a disease. I'm living with my aunt now. We did it because we were in a bad
