The 17 arrested are part of a “particularly violent and aggressive” mafia gang that sprang up in recent months in northern Naples, La Stampa reported.

They are accused of demanding cash from business owners in the Casoria neighbourhood and surrounding areas, particularly targeting those in the funeral business.

As the clan rose to prominence in the first few months of this year, there was an uptick in the number of dynamite attacks against businesses that refused to pay protection money.

The mafia group was also hit by internal strife, as suspects Nicola Luongo and Mariano Salvato fought for power. The latter is thought to have been behind a gang who fired shots against the home of Luongo, the clan’s principle boss.

In a particularly violent period of the group’s history, between February and March, seven members were reportedly killed and burnt alive in cars.

These murders are, however, not included in the arrest warrant, which instead focuses on the extortion, firearms and mafia association charges, La Stampa said.