Filenews 16 July 2022 - Michalis Hadjivassilis
A thousand kilos of drugs in the last three and a half years have been detected by YKAN in Cyprus, quantities that would previously have been considered outrageous by Cypriot standards. Cannabis and cocaine are the main substances on the market, with the networks recruiting mainly young Greeks without a criminal past, to enter our country and then dispose of them.
The increase in seizures is not unrelated, as members of the YKAN told "F", with the high demand that exists mainly from drug users, but is partly attributed to the fact that smugglers try to bring large quantities in one dose by taking risks once, rather than importing smaller quantities, taking successive risks.
Indicative of the fact that the situation has gotten out of hand, is that this year the quantities of cannabis that have been identified exceeded 215 kg, while there are another 5 1/2 months left before the end of the year. As the same officers commented, these are the drugs that the Agency manages to identify and that are considered not to be the only ones that the illegals import. Much larger quantities reach the market without being detected, which is why the efforts are uninterrupted. What now appears to be a new trend, is to order drugs from the internet from people who use it or from users who want to sell small amounts to make extra money. That is why YKAN has intensified its efforts in cooperation with the Department of Postal Services and the courier companies, in order to check the parcels that come from abroad and are considered suspicious.
According to data from YKAN, from 2019 until today, 998 kg of drugs have been detected, while if the quantities of 2018 are also calculated, then the total number of drugs seized soars to 1323 kg, a number unprecedented for the data of our country. The large amounts detected are also related to the findings that some want to make their money and stand idly by for a long time, dispelling suspicions from their shoulders.
Specifically, in 2019, 227.4 kg of cannabis, 60 kg of cannabis resin, 48.7 kg of cocaine and a kilogram of about methamphetamine were seized. For 2020, YKAN managed to identify 208 kg of cannabis, and 5 kg of cocaine. For 2021 the quantities identified were: 240.6 kg of cannabis, and 5.5 kg of cocaine. 3.7 kg of methamphetamine were also detected, an amount that for the first time is detected in such weight.
This year, by the end of June, seizures rose to 188 kg of cannabis, 15.2 kg of cocaine and 3.4 kg of methamphetamine. For 2018, seizures amounted to 318.6 kg of cannabis, half a kilogram of cannabis resin and five kilograms of cocaine.
The 318 kg of cannabis detected in 2018 is the largest amount detected in a year, while the almost 49 kg of cocaine seized by YKAN in 2019 were the most so far.
The Agency also seizes drugs other than cannabis and cocaine, but in smaller quantities. It is indicative that ecstasy is among the drugs preferred by young people mainly. In 2018, 939 tablets were seized, in 2019 another 2400 and in subsequent years in small quantities. Also, in 2021, 1.6 kg of the drug "Mykonos sleepwalker" was detected.
As the deputy commander of the Anti-Narcotics Service (YKAN) Police Officer B', Stelios Sergidis, recently mentioned, the increase in drug use and trafficking seems to be happening through digital purchases throughout Europe. He noted, there are no statistics on whether the digital market has increased, but this has also been noticed by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).
According to the data held by the Anti-Combat Service from the cases it investigates, the gates of entry of these substances are mainly ports, marinas, airports as well as by post. Mr. Sergidis also mentioned that there is excellent cooperation with the Department of Customs and The Postal Services to settle this issue.
Give in to law enforcement
The war between law enforcement and drug dealers is incessant. We hope that the investigation ordered into the commander of the Agency will not affect its important work in identifying drugs before they are brought to market.
However, the competent services must have the appropriate equipment to detect the drugs. Smugglers are evolving and are one step ahead of the authorities. It is not possible today that there is no special machine that scans the containers at the port of Limassol. Modern means are needed so that we do not rely only on information or on who will raise our suspicions. These are outdated.
