ATHENS -- The Camorra is one of the largest crime syndicates active in the Italian Campania region and its capital city, Naples. It is one of Italy's oldest and largest criminal organizations, dating back to at least the 16th century.

The origins of the Camorra are not entirely clear, but the first official use of the word is documented in 1735, when a royal decree authorized the establishment of eight gambling houses in Naples. The word is a combination of the Italian word for boss (capo) and a game that was played on the streets of Naples, morra.

The Camorra became widely known through the book Gomorra by Roberto Saviano, that describes the relentless war between Camorra clans, the cocaine trade, the waste disposal business and the shiny fake dresses of the fashion industry. While the Sicilian Mafia is structured more like a pyramid, the Camorra is organized horizontally , with clans acting independently and feuding constantly.

The mafia is still a lucrative business in Italy. According to the European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center , the different mafia organizations -- the Camorra, Cosa Nostra, Ndrangheta, Sacra Corona Unita -- reap in more than 150 billion dollars annually.