Pafos Live 29 May 2025
The police leadership demanded an explanation from the mayor of Paphos for his references to drug cartels. According to a police statement, Mr. Themistos Arnaoutis, Chief of Police, contacted the Mayor of Paphos, Mr. Phaedon Phaedon, and asked him to come to the Police Headquarters in order to give a written testimony about what he had publicly stated.
Update - Pafos Press
Complaints about the handling of sensitive information by the Police were made by the Mayor of Paphos, Phaedonas Phaedonas. Mr. Phaedonas publicly denounced the Chief of Police for the way in which he handled his invitation to testify in relation to issues of corruption and drug trafficking.
As he stated, on Wednesday afternoon he received a phone call from the Chief of Police, who asked him to go to Nicosia the same day or the next day to give a statement. Mr. Phaedonos, although he stated his availability, expressed objections to the possibility of his statement being leaked, as – he claimed – had happened in the past.
"He asked me to go to Nicosia so that no-one would notice, to give the statement confidentially. Not even an hour passed, and without my wife even knowing, I saw a post on the internet stating that the Mayor of Paphos had been summoned to give a statement," he said characteristically.
The Mayor stressed that he is ready to fully cooperate with the authorities and provide information, however, he believes that the way in which the Police handled the matter is "unfortunate, to say the least."
Mr. Phaedonos reiterated that he has repeatedly informed both the current and former Chief of Police, as well as the Minister of Justice, about the names of drug dealers in Paphos, without – as he said – any substantial progress having been made.
"In Paphos, there are drug dealers who have been going around undetected for 15 years. They sell undisturbed even inside schools. Those who are responsible should cut their throats to stop this situation," he stated in a strong tone.
The Mayor of Paphos spoke of "politicization of the process" and wondered whether every time a politician speaks publicly about criminal phenomena, the Chief of Police will pick up the phone to call him to testify.
"Phaedon Phaedonos is not expendable nor a piece of political games. On the contrary, I raise the gauntlet and declare myself ready to testify, but I demand seriousness and institutional responsibility," he said.
The Mayor did not fail to mention the issue of financial crime, emphasizing that regulated companies in Cyprus have associated unregulated subsidiaries in Latin America, through which – as he said – money laundering from drug cartels takes place.
"They shouldn't look to Phaedon for information. They should go to the audit firms, to the Big Four. There they will find the money's route, which starts in Brazil and Mexico and reaches Europe through these companies," he noted.
In closing, the Mayor issued a stern warning to those responsible, saying that he "holds them accountable for the dangers they create with their attitude and omissions."
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Members of the Police located and arrested yesterday in Paphos, a 41-year-old man, who was wanted by the Jordanian authorities, in connection with a murder case, committed in 2016, in the country.
According to information from the Jordanian authorities, for this particular case, the 41-year-old was sentenced in absentia, to ten years in prison.
The 41-year-old appeared today before the Paphos District Court, for the start of his extradition proceedings, to Jordan. The Court set June 4, 2025 as a new date and ordered the 41-year-old to remain in custody.
The Paphos TAE continues the exams.
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A new case of internet fraud and extortion of money through false representations, is being investigated by the Limassol TAE.
Specifically, it was reported yesterday by a 76-year-old man from Limassol, that during the month of November 2024, he found an advertisement on the internet for the purchase of cryptocurrencies and an investment in stocks with a guaranteed profit. The 76-year-old, after following a fraudulent link, unknown persons contacted him and after securing access to his computer, they extracted from him between the period November 2024 and March 2025, an amount of money in excess of €56,000.
On the occasion of this new fraud case, the Police reminds the public of the need for increased attention to online investment proposals and calls on citizens to verify the reliability of any platform before making any transaction.
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Filenews
Two 16-year-olds from Syria were arrested on Wednesday morning in Nicosia, after a chase on the streets of the city, when members of Team Z spotted them driving a stolen motorcycle, wearing hoods.
According to information, around 9:15 the police officers approached the minors for a check, but one of them fled, resulting in a pursuit. The young man was immobilized a little later, while in the meantime the second person who remained at the scene was arrested.
During the investigation of the case, it was found that they are two 16-year-old Syrian nationals. According to police sources, one of the two allegedly claimed to have bought the motorcycle for €120 from a Greek Cypriot young man in the Nicosia district.
The Police examinations continue.
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A second Cypriot seems to be involved in the illegal organization of drug trafficking soaked in shirts, which was revealed in Menidi by the Greek Police the day before yesterday.
In addition to the involvement of a 51-year-old man from an area of the free province of Famagusta, who is alleged by ELAS as the main accomplice of the leader of the criminal organization, in the transport of drugs to Greece and their further trafficking in the domestic market, the authorities are looking for a second Cypriot, according to our information.
According to the information of Filenews from Greece, this is a person who was cooperating with the team and is being sought. The Cypriot authorities have so far no official information about the case and the involvement of the 51-year-old arrested, however, it seems that there was contact in particular about whether he had been of concern to the Cypriot authorities.
According to the same information, the 51-year-old had not occupied the YKAN with drug cases. Now all the evidence that has been found in an apartment in Menidi, the evidence received and the role of each person involved are being examined.
The Greek authorities believe that the 51-year-old was the main accomplice of the 43-year-old leader of the organization, who is being sought, regarding the transportation of drugs to be imported into Greece and their further trafficking in the domestic market.
According to the announcement of ELAS, the criminal organization consisted of five people, with four having been arrested. In the apartment-workshop in Menidi, 17.8 kg of cocaine soaked in clothing, 255.6 kg of liquid substance and 45.5 kg of white powder, suitable for adulteration of cocaine, were found and confiscated. A pistol of Turkish origin was found in the Cypriot's vehicle.
It all started after the identification of an injured person in front of the entrance of the apartment building where the organization's apartment was located. Initially, the issue of locating the pistol was examined, while after the detection of a Belgian with a broken leg after falling from the apartment, the large drug ring came to light.
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An explosion of an explosive device occurred at dawn in the area of Zakaki, in Limassol, causing the mobilization of the authorities.
According to the first information, around 5:30 a.m., an explosive device exploded in a beer hall, causing material damage.
The accused, according to the court's findings, in July 2020 set up a company in Britain by paying £12, through his brother's credit card. The company's share capital was £1 (one pound) and its director was the name of a person who, after an investigation, was found to be serving a prison sentence in Greece for... fraud. The company in question, a few days later, sent an offer to the complainant's company for about €11 million for cold room conversion. When the company did not take possession of the money, the lawyer, as told in court, convinced his client to file a lawsuit, pricing his own fee at €2 million. Subsequently, he himself took legal action claiming the money for this fee, freezing, without his client's knowledge, his property. In his testimony, the 34-year-old claimed that all this was set up by the complainant, paying the company with his brother's (the accused's) card. The court characterized these allegations as "absurdity", stating that it is "beyond all logic" for the complainant to file a lawsuit against a company without capital and even to agree to pay a fee to the lawyer of €2 million.
It is noted that the lawyer managed to extract €4,000 from the complainant for a lawsuit against his company for an alleged work accident for which he had no idea. In another case, he was fined €6,000-7,000 for his suggestion for filing a libel lawsuit. "He found ways to secure various amounts from the accused," the court said.
The Court of Assize considered the testimony of the complainant to be credible, who, as mentioned, due to the friendly relationship he had with his 34-year-old lawyer, signed every document he brought to him, without reading it. He also rejected, stating that it is "completely unreliable", the testimony of the accused. The wording used by the court was particularly overwhelming for the young lawyer, who, as he noted, made a "bad impression", since "he did not come to tell the truth".
According to the court, the lawyer had drawn up a plan for the financial exploitation of the complainant, who filed a complaint with the Police three years ago.
In an investigation, three nylon packages containing a total of about 59 grams of cannabis, a precision scale, a crusher, as well as a sum of money were found inside the vehicle and confiscated.
The four persons were arrested for a flagrant offense, while they were then released pending the results of scientific examinations.
