Filenews 21 February 2023
The Police arrested two persons in Paphos to facilitate the investigation of an ongoing case of aluminium theft. They are 23-year-old and 33-year-old residents of Paphos, who were arrested under court warrants and detained.
The case was committed on February 13, 2023. According to a complaint made to the Police by a resident of Paphos, unknown persons stole from his house, three aluminium doors, which were placed in the garbage warehouse and the electricity meter of the house.
From the police examinations, testimony emerged against the 23-year-old and the 33-year-old, on the basis of which judicial arrest warrants were issued against them. The 33-year-old was tracked down and arrested on February 19. Yesterday morning, he was brought before the Paphos District Court, which issued a one-day detention order against him.
The 23-year-old was arrested yesterday late in the afternoon and taken into custody to facilitate interrogations.
The Paphos Minor Offences Department is investigating the case.
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An important link in the chain of import and trafficking of 4 kg of cannabis was the 27-year-old defendant who yesterday, Monday (20/2), was sentenced to six and a half years in prison by the Limassol Assize Court.
The 27-year-old had been found guilty after his own admission to the offences of illegal importation of drugs, illegal possession and illegal possession with intent to supply to other persons. He was given concurrent sentences of six and a half years on two of the five charges he faced, including importing and possessing for the purpose of supplying 4 kilograms of cannabis. According to the facts of the case, the 27-year-old had gone in August 2022 to Greece where he arranged the import of drugs which were placed well hidden on a pallet with household appliances and clothing so as not to be detected. Then on 8/9/2022 he went with his other two co-defendants to warehouse offices in Limassol where he received the pallets with the drugs since he was recorded as the recipient. The defendant, according to the judgment, would receive in return for the import and transportation, a quantity of drugs for his own use.
The judgment notes that the accused became a subservient to third parties due to his dependence and vulnerability. As mitigating circumstances, the defendant's absence of criminal records, personal, family and financial circumstances, as well as his admission and remorse were taken into account. The 27-year-old was represented by the lawyer, Michalis Neocleous.
Two other persons who are accused are involved in the case. They are a 23-year-old who was the sender of the pallets from Greece to Cyprus and another 27-year-old who is alleged to be the person who arranged and handwrote in documents the names of the recipient and the sender on the two on the pallets.
The drugs were identified after information was forwarded to the YKAN by the Greek authorities and in which it was informed that in a specific transport warehouse in Athens, there were hidden drugs on two pallets with household appliances and clothing. Then the drugs arrived in Limassol via ship and on 8/9/2022 an update was made to the convicted-recipient about the arrival of the pallets. The 27-year-old then went to the company's offices, but they were all stopped by members of the YKAN.
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A 21-year-old man, who was wanted in connection with an ongoing case of warehouse burglary and theft, an offence committed on 28/12/2022 in Limassol, was identified by members of the Aliens and Immigration Service (Paphos Unit) and arrested. He was then transferred to the offices of the ICF Limassol where he was interrogated and detained.
Specifically, during the investigation of the case, which involved the burglary of a warehouse and theft of vehicle wheels worth approximately €11,000, owned by a resident of the Limassol district, on the basis of an evaluation of various elements, a testimony implicating the 21-year-old emerged. A judicial arrest warrant was issued against him, on the basis of which he was arrested yesterday in Paphos.
The ICF Limassol continues the examinations.
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Eight people, who were staying illegally in the Republic, were arrested by the police following a coordinated operation on Sunday in Paphos.
As stated by the spokesperson of the Paphos Police Directorate, Michalis Nikolaou, members of the Aliens and Immigration Service carried out a coordinated operation aimed at identifying illegally staying persons in Paphos.
"During the operation," he said, "38 persons were identified and checked and 8 arrests of persons residing illegally on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus emerged."
The eight persons were detained with a view to deportation.
