Filenews 13 March 2025
Police arrested yesterday, March 11, 2025, a wanted man, who is allegedly involved in a sexual exploitation ring of women from African countries.
The arrested man was brought yesterday before the Limassol District Court, which issued a two-day detention order.
It is recalled that to date three more people have been arrested, while another person is wanted, against whom a European and international arrest warrant has been issued.
The case, which was referred to the Limassol Assize Court on 25 October 2024, is in the process of being tried, with the suspects remaining under trial until the conclusion of the trial.
The Anti-Trafficking Office is continuing its examinations.
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Pafos Live
The Larnaca Permanent Assize Court today imposed a four-year prison sentence on a 28-year-old resident of Larnaca, who was found guilty in a fire case that broke out in a rural area in the district of Larnaka, in June 2024.
The fire had broken out around 10 a.m. of June 25, 2024, in a rural area in Aradippou and burned wild vegetation, a premises and bales of hay.
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The Larnaca Permanent Assize Court today imposed a 12-year prison sentence on a 45-year-old man who was found guilty in a case of illegal importation and possession of drugs.
The 45-year-old was arrested by members of YKAN, on January 18, 2025, at Larnaka airport, after checking his luggage, after arriving from abroad, a quantity of cannabis, gross weight 19 kg and 366 grams, was detected and confiscated.
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Fifteen persons staying illegally in Cyprus were identified and arrested by the Aliens and Immigration Service, in the context of an operation that took place today in Nicosia.The operation is part of specific actions by the Police, Nicosia Municipality and other State Services, decided on the initiative of the Minister of Justice Mr. Marios Hartsiotis, to enhance the sense of security in Nicosia within the walls. During the operation, a total of 15 third-country nationals who were staying illegally on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus were identified and arrested.
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Pafos Press
The Police, as part of their efforts to prevent and suppress the illegal possession and trafficking of fireworks, yesterday afternoon proceeded to check a 30-year-old man in the Famagusta district, following an evaluation of relevant information.
During the check, two paper boxes were found in the 30-year-old's possession, which contained a total of 112 fireworks.
The 30-year-old was questioned in writing and then left, while the examinations continue.
The Police remind that the possession and use of fireworks is dangerous and illegal and calls on the public to avoid purchasing and using them, in view of the upcoming Easter holiday period.
The Paralimni Police Station continues the examinations.
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Filenews
The case of the trafficking and pimping ring, which was dismantled by the authorities, may have been referred for trial before the Limassol Assize Court, however, the investigations did not stop, with investigators of the Office for Combating Trafficking in Persons proceeding yesterday (11/03) to a new arrest, while they are looking for another person. Those involved in the ring, Filenews learns, appear to be all persons from Nigeria.
The 49-year-old suspect from Nigeria, who was on the run, was brought before the Limassol District Court on Wednesday morning, which issued a two-day detention order.
The 49-year-old suspect introduced himself to the victim and other girls under the pseudonym "School boy." According to testimonies obtained by investigators in the case, the suspect had taken on the role of a carrier. Specifically, he transported the victim and other girls to various premises and houses where their appointments with men had been arranged. After the arrest of the 49-year-old suspect, a reconnaissance rally was held, where the victim recognized him and pointed him out.
The case has been referred for trial before the Limassol Assize Court on 25 October 2024, with the three defendants remaining under trial until the conclusion of the trial. The defendants face offenses of conspiracy to commit a felony and misdemeanor, adult trafficking, sexual exploitation, money laundering, brothel, pimping and exploitation of prostitutes.
Those involved in the ring appear to have arranged the rental of apartments, posting ads on an online platform as well as securing clothes and accessories for the victims' "services" while the tentacles of the ring reach as far as Nigeria.
As our website mentioned in an earlier report, among the accused is a 29-year-old foreigner, a football player of a third division team, who lives in Limassol. The 29-year-old allegedly had a role as administrator of the erotic ads, with an active role in the ring.
The trafficking and pimping ring began to unravel last May, when the Anti-Trafficking Office received information from the ICF of Larnaca that a woman, a victim of trafficking, asked for help, initially reporting that her belongings had been stolen. During her testimony, the woman revealed that she arrived in Cyprus with the help of the first defendant.
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The position of the 45-year-old suspect of a series of offenses in relation to the group of "80", which appeared to defend the rights of people with problematic loan contracts, based on the philosophy of the American movement of "sovereign citizens", is difficult.
The reason for Kostas Patsalidis. The last man to evade arrest since February 11 was found yesterday at the British bases. As reported yesterday in a court proceedings attended by "F", Patsalidis was located on Tuesday at Kourion beach in Episkopi around 16:30 and was arrested by men of the Bases Police.
What is surprising is that, as the investigator of the ICF Headquarters, Anastasia Commander, reported yesterday to the Nicosia District Court, he had on him the not insignificant amount of €2,460. It should be noted that Patsalides has no social security contributions since 2020 and criminal charges are pending against him.
At the same time, according to the positions of the ICF Headquarters, there are testimonies about Patsalides that he asked for funds from individuals to help them manage their problematic loans. He took the money in order to give them books with the strange positions, on the basis of which institutions of the Republic of Cyprus are registered as companies in the USA and have no existence.
It is a typical case of a person who testified to the Police that he gave Patsalides €125 to issue him an identity card of the organization and another €300 to give him a book that mentioned the well-known about affiliation to the American flag and non-recognition of the Republic of Cyprus. The €300 was an instalment for the total amount of €750 that Patsalides had initially requested.
Tuesday will be decided
Costas Patsalides will be detained at the British bases until at least March 18, that is, next Tuesday. The 45-year-old yesterday appeared before a judiciary of the Bases and did not consent to her surrender to the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus.
According to the spokeswoman of the Police, Kyriaki Labrianidou, Patsalides will appear on 18/3 before a supreme judge of the Bases, who will issue a verdict on the possibility of his surrender to the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus or not.
More than 120 spoke
During the examination of yesterday's (approved) request by the Police for the detention of the other main suspect in the case, the 62-year-old who was hospitalized in the previous days at the Athalassa hospital, the investigator of the ICF Headquarters, Anastasia Commander, said that people are now giving testimony about the group of "80", despite their initial reservations.
As he told the Judge, Malvina Nathaniel, "persons who at the beginning of the investigation of the case were reluctant to give any statement to the Police, then contacted and indicated that they wished to give evidence". The Governor said that more than 120 statements were received, while at least 30 more people will testify. The ICF Headquarters investigator spoke clearly about an increase in the number of persons complaining.
The 62-year-old is cooperative
After the psychiatric hospitalization of the 62-year-old and the assurance by the Mental Health Services that he is able to attend court proceedings, the suspect was rearrested and yesterday afternoon he was taken again to the District Court of Nicosia. The Police, as we noted, applied for an 8-day detention order against him, which was approved by District Judge Malvina Nathanael.
It should be noted that the 62-year-old appeared calm and fully cooperative, never mentioned what the ideology of the "sovereign citizens" dictates and said that he has already indicated his intention to cooperate with the authorities and that he intends to do the same in the future.
On February 11, the 62-year-old, when he was first brought to court, said, among other things, that "I belong to the American flag." Mrs. Nathanael, in her decision approving the request of the Police, stressed the need to provide any medical support to the suspect (he had a minor health problem). The prosecution was represented by public prosecutor Artemis Anastasiou.
As part of the investigation of the case, the Police arrested a total of six persons. The 62-year-old and 45-year-old Patsalidis are now in custody. Six residences and more than eight vehicles were searched.
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Police arrested a 33-year-old man in Limassol on Wednesday, based on a court warrant, as part of an investigation into cases of forgery and other related offences.
Two complaints filed in January and February 2025 were pending against the suspect. The offences under investigation include forgery, circulation of a false document, obtaining goods by false representations, issuing dishonoured cheques and money laundering.
According to the evidence under investigation, the 33-year-old allegedly attempted in various ways to obtain sums of money, either through forged documents – as in a case of land sales – or other methods.
The case is being investigated by the ICF of Limassol.
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The prosecution witness against the 54-year-old lawyer and the 44-year-old police officer, who allegedly helped him escape, will be the 49-year-old Swede who managed to escape from the clinic where he was being treated under guard in Larnaca last December.
This was mentioned by the Prosecution during today's hearing before the Larnaca Permanent Assize Court, which was appointed to answer whether or not the lawyer and the police officer plead guilty.
In order to be able to be a prosecution witness, the Swede announced the suspension of the criminal prosecution of the three defendants on the charge of conspiracy to commit a felony, which was common to all. To the other charges facing a lawyer and a police officer, they said they did not plead guilty.
The lawyer is accused of assisting the 49-year-old to escape and money laundering after the court was told she obtained €10,000 and a €75,000 Range Rover from the Swede while knowing they were proceeds.
For his part, the police officer is accused of assisting a prisoner, abusing his power as a public official and dealing with corruption because, as the court was told, he colluded with the Swede to pay for his house and live in it (the policeman) with rent, in exchange for the help he offered.
The offences were committed between 7 and 22 December 2024. The case was set for March 28 for facts and sentence to the Swede, who pleaded guilty to the charge of escape.
It is recalled that the Swede escaped from a clinic in Larnaca on December 22, 2024 and was arrested the next day in an apartment building under construction. The 44-year-old police officer is alleged to be the person who put him in touch with the lawyer and the one who bought the mobile cards handed over to the detainee, as well as the shoes he wore during the escape. As for the lawyer, she is alleged to be the person who handed the Swede a mobile phone, chargers, sneakers, a handcuff key, and a map with a meeting point after the escape. Sweden has requested the extradition of the 49-year-old, who was wanted for a major financial fraud amounting to €90 million.
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The axe of justice fell heavily today for the 50-year-old who was found guilty of killing his 43-year-old brother-in-law in Peyia last July. The 50-year-old was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
The decision was announced a few minutes ago by the Assize Court that met today after the convicted man admitted to previous trials on charges of murder of the 43-year-old, possession of use and transport of a firearm without a license to possess, and possession of explosives without permission of the Inspector of Explosives.
The tragedy in Pegeia's family played out during a family gathering on the evening of July 3, 2024. The 50-year-old and the victim, under circumstances that are being investigated, argued, confronted and other bystanders intervened to separate them.
The suspect fled the scene but returned a few minutes later carrying a firearm with which he fatally wounded the victim and then fled the scene. He was arrested in the early hours of the next day, questioned and, according to police, allegedly admitted to committing the offence.
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A 62-year-old woman from Limassol fell victim to fraud.
According to her, between the dates 25/02/2025 – 28/02/2025, she was contacted by phone, an unknown person, pretending to be a bank employee and told her that she had to immediately transfer money from her bank accounts, because, as she told her, there were attempts to illegally withdraw money from them.
The complainant was convinced by the said person's statements and sent him through 34 different transactions, in foreign bank accounts indicated to her, the amount of $ 1,245,466 and € 32,459.
The case is being investigated by the General Secretariat of the ICF of Limassol.
