Pafos Live 13 February 2024
Another 22-year-old young man from Larnaca was arrested yesterday by the police in connection with the discovery of more than two kilos of cannabis last December in Paphos. Scientific evidence has emerged against him linking him to this case for which another of his peers, also from Larnaka, has been arrested.
It is recalled that during a relevant surveillance, members of the YKAN, spotted on a road in the Pafos district two persons who were riding in a car and motorcycle, engaged in the delivery of a package. As soon as the two noticed the policemen, they left the package on the ground and fled.
The driver of the car developed speed, as a result of which his vehicle collided with a YKAN vehicle and then fled. The driver of the motorcycle, which also collided with a police vehicle, tried to flee on foot, as a result of which he was stopped by the members of the YKAN, who followed him.
As it was found, he is a 23-year-old resident of Larnaka, who was arrested for a flagrant offense. A quantity of cannabis, with a gross weight of 19 grams, was found inside his motorcycle.
The package that the two men tried to exchange was also received from the scene, in which a quantity of cannabis with a gross weight of about two kilograms was found.
A case was registered against the 23-year-old before the Paphos District Court, which is expected to happen for the 22-year-old as well.
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Members of the Limassol Police stopped a car carrying four men, aged 38 and 32 and two 25-year-olds, for inspection today at dawn in an area of Limassol.
After a check, it was found that the driver of the vehicle was a 32-year-old man, against whom a court arrest warrant was pending for a case of malicious damage and theft (A case which is being investigated by the Pafos Central Police Station).
In the possession of all four persons, various burglary tools were found, such as gloves, hoods, traffic lights, etc., resulting in their arrest for the offense of possession of burglary tools.
The 32-year-old driver of the vehicle provided a positive narcotest.
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The Pafos District Court imposed a three-year prison sentence on a 49-year-old man for residential burglary and theft.
According to Paphos Assistant Police Director of Operations, Michalis Nicolaou, a 49-year-old permanent resident of Paphos, who was charged with a case of conspiracy to commit a felony, residential burglary and theft committed last October 2023, was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison by the Pafos District Court.
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A targeted campaign to prevent road collisions was carried out on Monday by the Police in Paphos. There were 228 traffic complaints, most of them related to the non-use of seat belts.
According to Pafos Assistant Police Director of Operations, Michalis Nicolaou, a targeted campaign was carried out by members of the Pafos Traffic Police team as well as the Headquarters, in the context of which patrols and checks were carried out within the city of Pafos, as well as in the communities of Chlorakas and Emba, in order to prevent road traffic collisions and combat traffic illegalities.
A total of 645 motor vehicle checks were carried out and a total of 228 traffic complaints emerged. Of the 228 traffic complaints, Nicolaou told CNA, most, 42 in total, concerned the non-use of seat belts. In addition, 24 of the complaints concerned the use of a mobile phone while driving. The rest were for other traffic offences, he added.
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A criminal case was filed yesterday against a 25-year-old man for breaking into a church and stealing in Polis Chrysochous.
The Pafos District Court ordered that he remain in custody until February 27, when the court hearing will begin.
According to Paphos Assistant Police Director of Operations, Michalis Nicolaou, police arrested the 25-year-old on Saturday night to facilitate investigations into an ongoing case of church burglary, theft, and possession of burglary tools.
Nicolaou said that specifically on Saturday at 23:20 members of the police station of Polis Chrysochous while on motorized patrol noticed the presence of a vehicle in the area of Panagia Chrysovenetiotissa church in the Latchi area.
The police entered the church and located there the 25-year-old from a village in the apartment of Polis Chrysochous.
According to Nicolaou, the 25-year-old admitted to entering the church with the intention of stealing, saying its door was closed but unsecured.
As it transpired, Mr. Nicolaou said, the 25-year-old stole several coins of about thirteen euros from the bench of the church.
He confessed to the burglary and theft of money, while various burglary tools were found inside the car.
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Pafos Press
A 26-year-old man was sentenced to 12 years in prison yesterday, after the Criminal Court of Larnaca found him guilty of sexually abusing a child.
His prison sentence is concurrent with a 10 year prison sentence he is already serving from January 2021, where he was convicted of rape.
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In a direct trial before the Larnaca Permanent Assize Court, 14 foreigners from India and Pakistan were indicted for the great international scheme of performing 133 marriages of convenience, which centered on our country.
Two of the defendants, two Indians aged 25 and 37, who allegedly played a key role in the ring, face more serious charges including conspiracy to commit a felony, participation in an illegal organisation, forgery and money laundering.
The remaining 12 defendants, 11 grooms and one bride, who allegedly performed marriages of convenience in order to obtain a residence permit in our country, are facing, among other things, offences of conspiracy to commit a felony, forgery and fraudulent marriage.
The impeachment process of the 14 defendants took hours after their defense lawyers objected to their detention.
The case is seeking 20 people, including a 44-year-old man from Pakistan who is alleged to be the mastermind of the ring, as well as a Cypriot who appears to be the owner of three of the companies declared as employers.
Police examinations revealed that the person's phone numbers appeared to be the phones of non-existent companies, which appeared to employ Europeans coming to Cyprus to perform marriages of convenience.
Later in the day, meanwhile, the wife of the alleged mastermind, who was extradited to Cyprus, is expected to arrive from Portugal. The woman was arrested on January 29 as part of a pan-European operation after allegedly recruiting brides and grooms from Portugal to come to Cyprus to perform marriages of convenience.
Latvian authorities have also been asked to extradite a woman who allegedly recruited brides from the country for a fee.
Police investigations, however, continue and a large volume of documents, believed to be forged and submitted by the alleged couples to the Aliens and Immigration Service, is under the microscope.
The involvement of a person at a Nicosia law firm that allegedly mediated 70 sham weddings at Aradippou City Hall is also being investigated, as well as a travel agency that allegedly issued dozens of fake health insurance policies.
