Tourists continue to flood Naples as local families mourn loved ones lost to senseless youth gang killings in crowded city streets

Once a no-go zone thanks to its mafia ties, Naples has pulled off a surprising transformation.

With British tourists now arriving in droves, lured by low-cost airlines, cruise ships, and trendy budget-friendly hotels, the city has suddenly become a Mediterranean favorite.

They come for the historic treasures—Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii—and stay for the pizza in the bustling Spanish Quarter.

But beneath the city’s lively charm lies a darker reality.

Naples is still very much haunted by its past—and more alarmingly, its present.

Old Mafia, New Blood: The Rise of Baby Gangsters

The Camorra, one of Italy’s most notorious crime syndicates, once ruled the streets.

Government crackdowns put many of the old bosses behind bars.

But removing the old guard created a vacuum—and it didn’t stay empty for long.

In their place? A new generation of ultra-violent, Gen Z mobsters who’ve tossed aside traditional mafia “rules,” including the one that protected civilians.

These young gangsters—known as paranza or “small fish”—are unpredictable, ruthless, and alarmingly reckless.

The result: violent crime in Naples is up nearly 20%, and innocent people are dying over things as trivial as dirty sneakers.

Death Over a Step: The Sneaker Murders That Shocked Italy

Santo Romano, a 19-year-old aspiring football goalkeeper, was enjoying a night out with friends last November.

It was supposed to be a celebration.

Instead, it ended in bloodshed.

He was shot and killed by a 17-year-old Camorra wannabe named Luigi, all because of a petty street encounter.

Luigi accused someone of stepping on his £425 Versace trainers—a slight he felt needed avenging.

Eyewitnesses say it wasn’t even Santo who did it.

Luigi was later arrested after foolishly flaunting his lifestyle on social media, posing with guns and known gang members.

He received a sentence of 18 years and eight months, later trimmed because he agreed not to appeal.

But for Santo’s grieving mother and girlfriend, that