Friday, March 15, 2024

CRIME ROUND UP

Pafos Live 15 March 2024


In the context of investigation and evaluation of evidence, members of the YKAN (Famagusta unit) stopped last night for inspection, a car driven by a 40-year-old man, a resident of the Famagusta district.

During the investigation that followed, he was found in possession of a small amount of cannabis and arrested for a flagrant offence.

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Filenews

In the context of investigation and evaluation of evidence, members of the Limassol OPE placed a specific premises under discreet surveillance, since money laundering was allegedly taking place there.

Around noon yesterday, a car was seen parked outside the premises and a person exiting the premises and entering the car in the passenger seat. Immediately, the car was stopped by the members of the OPE and during the check of the identity of the two occupants, it was found that the driver was a 33-year-old and a 34-year-old co-driver and both foreigners.

During the ensuing search, a total of 17 envelopes containing money were found in the bag held by the 34-year-old. All the files were opened in the presence of the 34-year-old and after counting the amount of money, it was found to amount to €161,425.

The 34-year-old was arrested for the offence of illegal possession of property and was taken to the offices of the ICF of Limassol.

It is noted that inside the premises, there was another person aged 41 who presented himself as a shareholder of the said premises. Both he and the 33-year-old driver of the car were summoned to the ICF Limassol offices for questioning.

A search of the premises found the sum of €706,300, $22,539, £1,375, two banknote counting machines as well as empty paper envelopes allegedly used to pack the money.

At the 34-year-old's home, the sum of €815, mobile phones as well as empty paper envelopes allegedly used to pack the money were found.

Both the 34-year-old and the 41-year-old were arrested on court warrants and taken into custody.

The Financial Crime Investigation Office of the ICF Limassol continues the examinations.

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A fight between minors took place in the afternoon in Larnaka.

According to the Police, around 17:30, in the area of Oroklini, minors under circumstances that are being investigated were caught in the arms.

Nearby residents alerted authorities with police officers rushing to the scene.

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Police handcuffed a 43-year-old man in connection with the case of the 31-year-old Ukrainian woman, who transferred almost eight million euros to Cyprus in less than a year.

According to police, the 43-year-old was arrested for facilitating interrogations.

Today he will be brought before a court to secure a detention order.

As "F" wrote, the competent authorities were looking for the source of the money and the final recipient in Cyprus.

According to the same information, a decree has been secured to disclose the Ukrainian woman's telecommunications data in an effort to identify who she was in contact with in Cyprus, in order to form a pattern of how the money was moved until it reached the final recipient.

As "F" wrote, one scenario under consideration is that the money would end up in a bank in the occupied areas or be given here to persons connected to the sender. What is certain is that they were not used for the purpose stated.

The Unit for Combating Cover-Up Offences is also investigating, where foreign authorities are searching the route of the Ukrainian woman.

The 31-year-old faces a total of 60 charges, three in 20 separate cases, and the offences include conspiracy to defraud, money laundering and false statements.

The offences were allegedly committed between August 2023 and March 1, 2024 and concern the transfer to Cyprus of a total amount of €7,832,400.

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Cyprus Mail

Police at Paphos airport arrested a total of three people who were found to be in possession of forged passports on Thursday.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) on Friday, Paphos police’s assistant operations director Michalis Nikolaou said that at around 1.30pm, a 27-year-old man and his 25-year-old wife presented themselves to passport control on the departures side of the airport.

Both had tickets to Sofia, and both presented Syrian passports. However, after they successfully entered the departure lounge, suspicions were raised by police.

A subsequent search found that both were also in possession of forged British passports and tickets to Dublin.

At the same time, a 25-year-old man presented himself to passport control on the departures side of the airport with a ticket to Sofia and a Syrian passport.

With suspicions already having been raised, police discovered that he was in possession of a fake Dutch passport and a ticket to Dublin.

All three were arrested, with the two men currently being held in custody, and the woman having been charged in writing as she has a child. They are all expected to appear in court on Friday.