Pafos Live 4 March 2024
Regarding the recent incident at the Mall involving Syrians, two former roommates reportedly came face-to-face outside the mall where they began arguing over the dispute. The episode became generalized when friends of the two intervened holding sticks and stones.
Then three Syrians went to the new apartment where the Syrian who allegedly owes the €90 lives and beat him, injuring two other compatriots who were with him. A 21-year-old man has been arrested for the attack and another 27-year-old Syrian man is being sought.
Update - The Paphos court today issued 4-day detention orders against the eight Syrians arrested for the unprecedented incidents on Saturday night outside the mall. They face charges of unlawful assembly and carrying weapons to incite terror.
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The Police continued today the operations to locate third-country nationals residing illegally in Cyprus, with a coordinated nationwide police control operation.
During today's control operation, the members of the Police proceeded to the arrest of 26 persons of various nationalities, who have been found to remain illegally on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus. They were detained, with the Police already proceeding with the procedures for their immediate repatriation, in cooperation with other competent authorities.
In the context of the operation carried out in the Famagusta district, during a check at a hotel unit, two persons aged 28 and 25, third-country nationals, who reside legally in the Republic, were found to be working illegally without permission from the competent Authority.
Specifically, the two persons were engaged in construction work outside the premises, where their employer, aged 34, was also located. A case of illegal employment and illegal employment is being investigated against the three.
Yesterday's operation, which began at 6.00 in the morning and ended around 3.00 in the afternoon, was attended by members of all district units of the Aliens and Immigration Service – YAM, as well as members of the Green Line Surveillance and Migration Flow Response Subdivision.
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Pafos Press [this relates to the Syrian fight at the Mall]
The 21-year-old, who allegedly stabbed three people in his attempt to break into a house in Paphos, was placed under 4-day house arrest.
The Paphos Police arrested a 21-year-old man in Paphos on Sunday afternoon in order to facilitate investigations for an investigated case of injury and burglary with the intent to commit a felony.
According to a statement from the Office of the Communication Branch of the Police Headquarters, the Police proceeded to arrest a 21-year-old man, in connection with an investigated case of injury to three persons, after a burglary of their residence in Paphos and an attack by a number of persons, on the night that passed.
The 21-year-old suspect was located and arrested shortly before 4:00 pm on Sunday, by members of the Police in Paphos, pursuant to a court warrant, which was issued following evidence that emerged during the investigation of the case by members of the TAE.
He was taken into custody for questioning, with the Police investigating a case of committing the offenses of residential burglary with intent to commit a felony, wounding, carrying a weapon to incite terror, carrying a knife, causing malicious damage to property, disorderly conduct, conspiracy to commit a felony, and conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor.
According to the information under investigation and the complaint submitted to the Police by three persons, men aged 25, 23 and 20, around 1:00 am on Sunday, a number of persons, having knives and various offensive instruments in their possession, broke into and entered the their residence, in Paphos, where they were attacked.
The three underwent medical examinations at the Paphos General Hospital, where it was found that the 20 year old had a bruise on his head, the 25 year old had a bruise on his hand and body, and the 23 year old had redness and abrasions on his face. After receiving treatment, they were discharged. The case is being investigated by the Paphos TAE. This episode preceded the altercation outside the Mall.
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Paphos Police carried out coordinated operations to combat noise pollution on Friday and Saturday in premises, in the context of which in three premises devices that transmit sound without the relevant licenses were confiscated. Also, a 27-year-old person is under two-day detention for the sale of a nitrogen device, illegal stay on the territory of the Republic as well as violations of the Medicines for Human Use Law.
According to the Assistant Police Director of Paphos Operations, Michalis Nikolaou, on March 1, a coordinated operation was conducted by members of the Paphos Police Department with the participation of members of the MMAD, YKAN and YAM on Agios Antoniou Street, in the context of which four premises were searched with judicial search warrants. In two of them, devices that transmit sound such as loudspeakers, mixers, were located and confiscated, as these premises were allegedly operating without the relevant permits. In two other properties that were investigated, nothing reprehensible was found.
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Additionally during the March 1st operation while members entered a specific property with a search warrant, a person was seen carrying a jerry can into the store and filling a balloon.
At the sight of the Police, he started to walk away, exited the building through a door at the back of the store, then dropped everything he was holding and started running in an attempt to escape. Afterwards, he was stopped by members of the Paphos ADE.
As it was established, this person is a 27-year-old who was illegally residing on the territory of the Republic. The 27-year-old, as it became clear, the bag he abandoned contained 60 vials containing nitrous oxide, a number of balloons which were received as evidence.
The 27-year-old is being investigated for the crime of illegal stay on the territory of the Republic as well as violations of the Medicines for Human Use Law. Also found in his possession were a number of banknotes believed to have been caused by the sale of nitrogen.
The 27 year old was brought before the court on Saturday, which issued a two day detention order against him.
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Two people were found by Customs at Paphos Airport to have their luggage filled with unadulterated tobacco products before leaving for Britain. The two were arrested and placed under four-day detention by decision of the Pafos District Court.
The two passengers, aged 26 and 47, were spotted on Saturday afternoon at Paphos airport from where they were due to depart to Britain. A check carried out on their luggage by Customs officers found a total of 38,450 grams of tobacco and 119 boxes of cigarettes, which were found to be duty-free.
They were arrested for illegal possession of duty-free and detained, while on Sunday they were brought before the Pafos District Court, which issued four-day detention orders against them.
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The belief that there is a money laundering ring focusing on Ukrainian nationals and Cyprus is reinforced by information, recent incidents, but also by the way the Cyprus Police are handling the case of the last 24 hours with the 31-year-old Ukrainian woman. She has been in custody since last Saturday on the basis of a court order.
Initially, the woman had reported on Friday afternoon that earlier in that day she was robbed in Germasogeia. More specifically, she claimed that a person on a passing motorcycle forcibly stole from her a bag, in which there was the amount of €420,000 in cash.
The dimensions
Then, however, the case took a different turn and the Crime Detection Department (ICF) of the Police Headquarters entered the game of investigations. This department examines cases when offences are judged to be particularly serious and their scale extends throughout Cyprus. In other words, they are not limited to the local level. It is no coincidence that the request for detention was examined the day before yesterday by the Nicosia District Court and not in Limassol.
A press release issued by police on Saturday said a case of "participation in a criminal organization, participation in and acceptance of the commission of crimes, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit a felony" was being investigated. It is not directly related to the circumstances of last Friday's alleged robbery.
A competent source, speaking to "F", said that the case concerning the alleged robbery continues to concern the competent department of the Police in the district of the alleged offense (ICF Limassol), adding that the wider dimensions of the case refer to money laundering and money laundering, it is logical due to the seriousness to employ the ICF Headquarters. "Besides, the arrest and detention took place more broadly for the case and not the alleged robbery or its circumstances," the source added.
It is noted that information in our newspaper does not exclude the possibility that the investigation team of the ICF Headquarters may request the assistance of the Cover-up Offences Unit (MOKAS). MOKAS specializes in possible offences with financial operations that leave traces in the financial system (e.g. bank transfers), however, it has the mechanisms to request assistance from similar services in other countries, while at the same time it has access to international databases.
At the same time, reports indicate that Cypriot prosecuting authorities are looking into wider issues of money transfers to Cyprus by Ukrainian nationals. In this case, the 31-year-old Ukrainian woman within a period of eight months was coming to Cyprus through Larnaka and Paphos airports (8/2023 – 3/2024) declaring to the employees of the Customs and Excise Department large amounts, which – according to a police source – amount to six million euros.
Incidents with identical circumstances involving large amounts of cash related to Cyprus are not uncommon, according to a person who spoke to F.
However, regardless of the information and handling of the ICF Headquarters, we are in a position to know two typical cases of recent months, which refer to laundering and concern our island.
He was coming to Larnaca with €455.000
One relates to a retired Ukrainian who attempted to come to Cyprus with a large sum of money, but ended up being arrested.
