Pafos Live 28 June 2025
The Police are investigating a new case of online fraud, in the context of ongoing incidents related to misleading messages for allegedly unpaid traffic police out-of-court fees.
Specifically, a 56-year-old resident of Paphos complained that he received a message on his mobile phone, from an unknown sender, informing him that the payment of an out-of-court fine by the traffic police was pending.
The complainant, after responding to the message and following a specific link, proceeded to enter personal and bank details.
Subsequently, it was found that unknown persons proceeded to deduct an amount of money of €2,000 from his bank account.
The Police urge the public to be extra careful and not to respond to suspicious messages or emails requesting the payment of out-of-court or other fines through links.
Especially:
Do not open links sent via messages/SMS/emails from unknown or suspicious senders.
Do not enter personal or banking information on suspicious websites.
Always contact the relevant authorities before taking any action.
The Police continues its efforts to inform and prevent the public about such frauds and calls on all citizens to exercise increased attention.
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Filenews
The Police are investigating a case of robbery committed at dawn today in Larnaca.
According to the complaint, around 04:45, a 31-year-old man was attacked by two unknown persons while walking on Tasos Mitsopoulos Avenue, near the Medieval Castle of Larnaca.
According to the complaint, two young people approached him and demanded that he hand over the money he had in his possession.
He refused, as a result of which the two perpetrators began to beat him in the face and in various parts of his body, taking a small amount of money from him. The perpetrators then fled in an unknown direction. The complainant was transferred to the Larnaca General Hospital, where he received first aid and was discharged.
The Police continue the examinations to identify and arrest the perpetrators.
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The Larnaca District Court yesterday issued a detention order for 8 days against seven minors to facilitate police investigations into a case of a clash between two groups that took place on the evening of Wednesday, June 25, in a parking lot in Larnaca.
Specifically, the seven minors face charges related to conspiracy to commit a felony and a misdemeanor, acts aimed at causing serious bodily harm, injury, stabbing, disturbance and fighting.
According to the facts of the case, around 10.30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 25, information was received that there were injured young people in a supermarket parking lot in Larnaca. Members of the ADE and the TAE of Larnaca went to the area where it was found that the injured persons had been transported by ambulance to the Larnaca General Hospital, with injuries to various parts of their bodies.
From the examinations carried out at the scene, it was found that a group of young foreign minors had agreed to go to the specific point in order to resolve their personal differences. However, at some point the situation derailed and some people pulled out knives resulting in injuries.
A total of five people were injured in the clash, three of whom sustained minor injuries and after receiving first aid at the Ambulance Department of the Larnaca General Hospital, they were discharged. However, the other two, a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old, suffered more serious injuries and it was deemed necessary to further detain them in the Hospital for hospitalization. The 15-year-old underwent surgery while the 17-year-old is being held in the Intensive Care Unit, with his condition being serious but out of danger.
The investigators of the case received a number of items from the scene, which will be sent for scientific examinations, while closed circuits of surveillance of the area are also being examined.
The Larnaca District Court on Thursday issued arrest warrants against seven minors, including the two injured, who were executed.
Today the five were brought before the Larnaca District Court, while the proceedings for the two injured were carried out at the Larnaca General Hospital.
The court issued a detention order against all seven persons for eight days.
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For a drug trafficking and trafficking ring with the participation of six people and the mastermind of the 48-year-old barrister, Giorgos Christodoulou Zavrantonas, it is alleged that information of the highest reliability was obtained by the Crime Detection Department of the Police Headquarters and presented to the Court today by a member of the investigative team.
At least this is what the sergeant of the TAE Makis Nikolaou said before the District Judge, Malvina Nathanael, in the context of a request by the Police for the issuance of a detention order against the six suspects.
That is, Zavranton, a 37-year-old from Nicosia with whom the former is in a relationship, the latter's parents, her brother and a 40-year-old man from the free Famagusta. The 40-year-old, according to what the Police presented, is alleged to be a close associate of Zavrantonas.
The process was relatively short and in the end eight-day detention orders were issued for Zavrantonas, the 37-year-old with whom he maintains a relationship, and the 40-year-old allegedly his close associate. According to the decree, the 37-year-old's parents and her brother will be detained for six days.
What stood out from the judicial process was the reference of the Police investigator to the information of the "highest credibility" as characterized in the request for the detention of the Police, which alleges that Zavradonas is the "mastermind" of a criminal group that trades and trafficks drugs, provides protection and services for illegal gambling.
The Police have reasonable suspicions, according to what was reported to the Court, that the cooperation brings in €50,000 per week, while a source, cited by the investigators, says that in recent months the group's illegal activities have generated an amount of €1 million.
Based on the reservation request, consultations are made through encrypted communication applications, such as Whats App and Signal. Zavrantonas allegedly communicates constantly with the 37-year-old and her mother and gives instructions on how to manage the amounts resulting from the alleged illegal activities.
And the 6th suspect, the 40-year-old from free Famagusta, who was wanted, allegedly acted on the instructions of the 48-year-old barrister and went to premises collecting various amounts. Then - and according to the testimony presented by the Police to the Court - he gives them to the 37-year-old. The latter and the latter in turn channels/distributes them as follows:
>> He uses part of the money for personal needs, while he also covers the expenses of the beauty salon he maintains.
>> She hands over sums to the 40-year-old, her mother and her brother.
>> A sum of money is kept on behalf of Zavrantonas in the homes of the 37-year-old's parents, in the latter's apartment and in her brother's apartment. A sum of money is kept on behalf of Zavrantonas and in a jewellery store of the 37-year-old's parents, which is managed by her brother.
In the frame of the case, the Police also place a painting. According to the positions of the investigator of the TAE, the 48-year-old barrister gives expensive gifts to the family of the 37-year-old with whom he maintains a relationship. On one occasion, he donated a painting to the 37-year-old's mother of great monetary value.
In addition, a police source reports that the 37-year-old bribes three prison guards in order for Zavratonas to receive favorable treatment in the Central Prison.
However, during yesterday's execution of search warrants in the areas where the six suspects live, the following were identified that were frozen:
>> A phone was found in Zavraton's cell.
>> Three mobile phones and a sum of €53,870 were found in the 37-year-old's apartment.
>> At the home of the 37-year-old's parents, the painting was found, and a cash amount of €149,710.
>> At the residence of the 37-year-old's brother (5th suspect), a mobile phone and an amount of €83,160 were found.
>> At the place of residence of the 40-year-old, 6th suspect, mobile phone and cash amount of €22,357 and a visit card of a specific imprisoned person dated 25/6. The evidence on the paper refers to the 48-year-old barrister.
The Police are also criminally checking three prison guards. These are those presented by the Police informant as receiving sums from the 37-year-old so that Zavrantonas would receive favorable treatment. Warrants have been executed to search their homes and three mobile phones have been seized.
For Zavrantonas and the 40-year-old, the 6th suspect, the lawyer Christos Poutzouris appeared, for the 37-year-old the 2nd suspect Paris Loizou, while the parents and brother of the 37-year-old (3rd suspect, 4th suspect and 5th suspect) were represented by Ilias Stefanou and Giannis Nearchou.
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An episodic chase with minors, which started from Nicosia and ended up in the Larnaca district, took place shortly before noon on Saturday (28/06).
According to the Police, around 11.30 today, members of the "Z" group spotted a car moving suspiciously in the area of the Nicosia hospital.
The members of the Force signaled to the driver to stop, but he did not obey.
A pursuit followed, with members of the "Z" team stopping the vehicle half an hour later, in the area of the British Bases in Pyla.
As it was established, three minors were in the vehicle.
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Cyprus Mail
A Russian fugitive, who was arrested in Cyprus on May 20 with a provisional arrest warrant, based on a red notice filed by Russia at Interpol, was released on condition on Friday by the court of appeals.
According to the red notice, on August 28, 2024, a Russian court issued an arrest warrant against the man for largescale fraud and requested his immediate arrest so he could be extradited for trial to Russia.
On May 21, the man was taken before the Larnaca district court with a request that he be extradited and remain in custody until the day of the trial within 40 days.
The court accepted the request that he be held until the trial but set the date earlier, namely June 13.
On June 13, the court renewed its decision that he remain in custody, setting June 30 as the new date, which would also be the date the 40 days would have expired.
The defendant appealed the decision and won.
The appeals court ordered that the appellant be released and appear before the Larnaca district court on June 30 at 10am.
The conditions for his release are a guarantee of €100,000, to sign a personal guarantee of €100,000 and deposit a guarantee of €100,000 with a creditworthy guarantor, to the satisfaction of the registrar of the appeals court.
He was also requested to hand over all travel documents to the police, including a Russian and Israeli passport. His name was furthermore placed on the stop list.
The defendant must also remain within the Limassol district limits and appear twice a day at the Yermasoyia police station.
The decision has been sent to the justice minister.
