The Italian Direzione Distrettuale Antimafia first investigated the clan in 2002, which led to the imprisonment of its most influential members, including Abbinante clan boss Raffaele "Papale e Marano" Abbinante, who was aligned with Di Lauro, but Paolo Di Lauro managed to stay free. Despite this setback, the clan increased its power and the arrested members were replaced by several of Di Lauro's ten sons: Cosimo, Ciro and Marco. At the same time, the coalition was strengthened with other clans in the Secondigliano Alliance. The clan's "old guard" lost its power, and some of Di Lauro's former faithful allies formed a rival alliance and started a bloody power struggle in 2004, known as the Scampia feud.
Activities
In the early 2000s, the clan's drug revenue from their sellers were reckoned by Italian investigators to be worth about €200 million per year. In the time of the reign of Paolo Di Lauro, Secondigliano, the clan's stronghold, became the largest open-air narcotics market in Europe. The Di Lauro clan funnelled the proceeds into real estate, buying dozens of flats in Naples, owning shops in France and the Netherlands, as well as businesses importing fur, fake fur and lingerie. Cosimo Di Lauro used to travel to Paris to control the business of the clan in France. In his visits to Paris, Cosimo often drove his Lamborghini around the city. The clan is also very active in counterfeit clothes in the Netherlands. The Di Lauro clan is believed to invest large amounts of money in Greece. According to the pentito Antonio Accurso, the Di Lauro clan has several links to the Sacra Corona Unita in question with regards to drug trafficking. The Di Lauro clan allegedly has a alliance with the Contini clan, particularly with Ciro Contini, the nephew of the bossEdoardo Contini. According to the pentito Domenico Esposito both clans have a pact with regards to the drug trafficking business. On 12 July 2019, the Italian police confiscated €300 million, including 600 houses, lands, 16 cars and bank accounts belonging to Antonio Passarelli, a businessman believed to be connected to the Di Lauro clan.
Leadership
Paolo Di Lauro became a fugitive in 2002 and left the business to his sons Cosimo and Vincenzo Di Lauro.
Ciro Di Lauro was arrested in late 2004, followed by Cosimo in January 2005 after the police launched a series of operations against the warring factions in the Scampia feud. In September 2005, police arrested the patriarch of the clan Paolo Di Lauro.
