Pafos Live 28 June 2023
With injuries from a knife or other sharp instrument, a 35-year-old Egyptian man was initially transferred yesterday afternoon to a private clinic and later to Paphos hospital.
The Egyptian who is married to a European woman resides legally in Cyprus. He has injuries to his limbs and abdomen, and his state of health does not cause concern.
The 35-year-old refuses to cooperate with authorities and has not reported anything about his injury.
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Filenews 28 June 2023
With the imposition of a sentence of 8 years, the trial of another serious drug case, which was being heard before the Permanent Assize Court of Limassol, was completed.
The Court yesterday imposed an 8-year sentence on the 41-year-old defendant, in the offence of possession with intent to supply a quantity of 8.5 kilos of drugs, which were detected after a coordinated operation by the YKAN on May 19, 2021.
The 41-year-old had been found guilty in a previous trial on charges of possession and possession with intent to supply to other persons, with the Court ordering that he be taken to Central Prison pending sentencing. Previously a 29 year old had been sentenced to prison in connection with the case.
The hearing for the 41-year-old was held under a different composition of Assize Court judges and with the defendant denying all charges he faces. The 29-year-old testified about the case and became a prosecution witness.
According to the facts of the case, the Limassol YKAN received information that the 29-year-old collaborates with another person in the trade and trafficking of large quantities of drugs. After a coordinated operation, members of the YKAN stopped for inspection, outside an apartment building in Kato Polemidia, a car driven by the 29-year-old.
Earlier, he was seen entering the premises and exiting holding a blanket. The 29-year-old entered the vehicle and at the sight of the officers, got out of the vehicle and started running with the blanket together. During the chase, he threw away the blanket containing 783 g of cannabis. The members of the Police managed to stop him while his 41-year-old stepfather arrived at the place after a few minutes.
A search of the 29-year-old's vehicle found and seized quantities of cannabis. Subsequently, a search was carried out at a prefabricated premises used by the 29-year-old and his 41-year-old stepfather, where 8 nylon packages containing cannabis weighing 8 kg and 126 grams, as well as a plastic container containing cannabis, 200 grams, were located and seized. The searches continued at a rural house in the Limassol district where a quantity of cannabis was found as well as the amount of €15,750.
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Prison sentence for the two warehousemen of 32 kilos of cannabis
Without naming the mastermind of the organized plan to distribute a large quantity of drugs to society, the two defendants, aged 27 and 23, were sentenced yesterday by the Limassol Assize Court to 14 years in prison for the offence of possession with intent to supply to other persons, a quantity of 32 kilos of cannabis.
The two defendants admitted serious charges of conspiracy, unlawful possession and unlawful possession with intent to supply to other persons. In its multi-page ruling, the Court notes that the offences are so serious that, bearing in mind the need for deterrence, no penalty other than imprisonment can be justified. Elsewhere it is stated that the personal circumstances of the accused cannot neutralize or weaken the deterrent effect that their sentence should have.
In exchange for the two convicts to act as drug storekeepers, was the sum of €500 each month. According to the ruling, the two acted with the aim of obtaining personal gain. An organized plan was put in place for the illegal storage and processing of a quantity of 32 kilos of cannabis, with the aim of marketing and supplying it from the mastermind of the whole operation to other persons.
The 27-year-old's lawyer focused on the alleged actions of the drug supplier, presenting the position that the defendants were entrapped. In its judgment, the Assize Court points out that it does not follow from the facts that it was actually the supplier who gave the information to the police. "The facts do not demonstrate this, other than the speculation in the defence counsel of the 27-year-old defendant."
According to the facts, the YKAN had received information that the 27-year-old was engaged in trafficking and trafficking large quantities of drugs which he hid in his family home and in his apartment in Mesa Geitonia. Members of the YKAN Headquarters went on 06/02 to the apartment building where they placed the apartment and the area under surveillance. The two youths were seen going out on the balcony several times and throwing something on the ground. Instructions were immediately given to raid the apartment with the accused being located on the 2nd and 3rd floors and descending the stairs.
In the 27-year-old's apartment, 8kg of cannabis was found, some of which were scattered in various parts of the kitchen and living room, while others were hidden in kitchen utensils. "I do this job once a month for €500," was the 27-year-old's response when he was drawn to the law. The storage room of the apartment was then searched after the 23-year-old handed over a bundle of keys. A search found more than 26kg of cannabis and cannabis resin, with the 23-year-old responding: "They took advantage of us. We cut it for €500."
