Pafos Live 15 July 2025
Officials of the Customs Department at Larnaca Airport, after evaluating information, selected for inspection the luggage of two passengers with British citizenship aged 44 and 38 respectively, who would travel from Larnaca to Manchester, United Kingdom.
During the physical control of the passengers' luggage, large quantities of tobacco products were found and confiscated, which did not bear the marking for the harmfulness of smoking in Greek and Turkish, nor the security feature and the unique traceability code, indications that they were duty-free. Specifically, 130 boxes of 200 cigarettes each were found in the luggage of the two passengers. The 2 passengers were arrested for flagrant offenses and the next day they were taken to the Larnaca District Court which issued a 3-day detention order.
On 11/7/2025, also at Larnaca Airport, officials of the Customs Department selected for control the luggage of a 42-year-old Turkish Cypriot passenger, who was travelling with her minor daughter from Larnaca to Gatwick, United Kingdom.
During the physical check of the luggage of the 2 passengers, large quantities of tobacco products were found and confiscated, which did not bear the marking for the harmfulness of smoking in Greek and Turkish, nor the security feature and the unique traceability code, indications that they were duty-free. Specifically, 148 boxes of 200 cigarettes each and 40 packs of tobacco for a 50g rolled cigarette were found in their 3 suitcases. each (a total of 2 kilos of tobacco). The passenger was arrested for flagrant offenses, while the suitcases with their contents were confiscated. The passenger was then released after her proposal for an out-of-court settlement of the offences was accepted with the payment of an amount of €10,500 and abandonment of the tobacco products for destruction
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Filenews
The 55-year-old man who was in eight-day detention for the attempted murder of a 41-year-old man that took place on July 5 in Amargeti, Paphos district, was referred to a direct trial at the Assize Court. The trial will begin on September 24 and the court reserved for tomorrow its decision on whether the 55-year-old will remain in custody until then.
We remind you that on the evening of July 5, while passing on the main road Amargetis-Eledio, he located the 41-year-old injured and alerted the Police. Members of the Paphos TAE rushed to the scene and found that the injured man had a wound to the right abdomen that seems to have been caused by a shotgun. He was conscious when the police arrived at the scene, to whom he reported that he was shot, naming as the perpetrator the 55-year-old who maintains a residence near his own.
The 41-year-old was transferred to Paphos Hospital where he underwent surgery and was detained for hospitalization, with his health condition being characterized as critical. For this reason, he was then transferred and hospitalized at the Nicosia General Hospital, with today's update stating that he is still in critical condition, being under sedation.
The scene was cordoned off and investigations by the Police immediately began. From the first examinations, it emerged that the injured man is a resident of Limassol and maintains a cottage in the area of the communities of Amargeti and Eledio. The 55-year-old, who is alleged to be the perpetrator of the attempt, also has his residence on a neighbouring plot of land, both of whom had property disputes.
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An eight-day detention order was issued yesterday by the Paphos District Court against the 78-year-old man who confessed to the murder of 73-year-old Aristides Siamptanis, on the road to Paphos airport yesterday morning.
As reported to the court, after his arrest, the suspect interrogated admitted to the crime and made a suggestion of scenes, where the shotgun with which he shot the 73-year-old was located by the Police.
According to the Police spokesman, due to the regular conflicts with the victim, the authorities had confiscated from the 78-year-old the weapons he legally possessed, given that there were frequent frictions and threats in the last decade when the 78-year-old also divorced his wife, who had been the victim's cohabitant for the last few years.
The 78-year-old's ex-wife had previously denounced him for threats
A long-standing dispute with constant problems between the alleged perpetrator and the victim is revealed as the Police investigations progress. As it was revealed today during the court proceedings for the issuance of a detention order for the alleged perpetrator, a complaint was filed against him some time ago by his ex-wife for threatening her because of her relationship with the victim in recent years.
The complaint was even heard a few months ago and the court sentenced the 78-year-old to a fine for the threats he allegedly made against his ex-wife.
An important parameter is also the clarification given that the alleged perpetrator of the murder was in possession of a total of 147 shotguns, due to a hunting equipment store he kept, which were confiscated by the Police after the complaint filed against him by their ex-wife.
These weapons were then handed over by the Police to the son of the 78-year-old in order to continue the commercial activity of the store.
As it turned out, the weapon with which he fatally wounded 73-year-old Aristides Siamtani yesterday was not part of this stock of hunting equipment, but was registered with his ex-wife, who expressed complete ignorance of this fact. Now the authorities are examining how the shotgun was found in his hands.
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From the Czech Republic to Cyprus and now facing the Justice, a 31-year-old man is accused of a case of sexual abuse of a child.
The case was referred on Monday to a direct trial before the Limassol Permanent Assize Court, while the accused was taken to the Central Prison, where he will remain until the start of the trial, which is set for the end of August.
This is a case that had been reported some time ago to the Police and initially concerned violence in the family, with two underage sisters against their mother as victims. Then, the case took a new turn and the Investigation Branch of Cases of Sexual Abuse of Minors of the Police Headquarters was involved, as one of the two minors – specifically, the now 17-year-old girl – reported that she had been sexually abused by her mother's partner, during the years 2020 and 2021, when she was about 12 years old.
The minor claimed, among other things, that her mother knew about the heinous acts. After the complaints, the two girls were placed under the care of the Welfare Services and today they reside in the "Children's House".
Following the complaints, the authorities initially proceeded to arrest the mother, who was also charged in the case. According to information, she gave a testimony to the Police, naming the accused as the perpetrator. However, due to a serious illness, the woman died before being brought to justice.
The 31-year-old, as it was established, had left Cyprus, which led to the issuance of an international and European arrest warrant. He was finally located in the Czech Republic and after the necessary procedures were completed, he was extradited to the Cypriot authorities a few days ago.
The defendant faces a total of four charges related to child sexual abuse offenses. He will remain in custody until the trial of the case, which is set for the end of August.
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After three and four months, respectively, when Kostakis Patsalidis and Phaedros Savvopoulos were detained as defendants for the unprecedented case of "living entities", they were released yesterday.
And this was following the verdict of the Nicosia Assize Court (Christiana Parpotta P.E.D., Christos Raspopoulos A.E.D. and Panagiotis Savvidis E.D.).
The three-member judiciary, with its interim decision yesterday and taking into account the grounds of objection of Patsalidis (he undertook his defense himself), but also of the lawyer Charalambos Stratouras, defense counsel of Savvopoulos, in the relevant request of the prosecution, decided to dismiss them under the following conditions imposed for each accused:
>> A guarantee must be signed by one or two creditworthy guarantors for the amount of €30,000.
>> Their names should be included in the list of persons whose exit from the Republic is prohibited. In addition, a ban was imposed in order to pass through any barricade or other crossing point, controlled or not, to the areas not controlled by the Republic.
>> Finally, to present themselves twice a day at relevant police stations.
It should be noted that Kostakis Patsalides had been detained since April 16, when he was handed over to the Cyprus Police by the British Bases whose authorities had placed him under arrest. As for Savvopoulos, he had been arrested on March 20.
Both are suspected of a large number of offences concerning the philosophy of the sovereign citizens, on the basis of which they convinced persons that they would help them with their problematic loan agreements. In fact, they received money to give these people printed textbooks with their positions, with which they question the Republic of Cyprus and its institutions.
Initially, two separate cases against the suspects were registered with the Court, however, they were later withdrawn and a single case was registered for both.
The charges they face are very serious. Suffice it to say that Kostakis Patsalidis, in addition to the nine common charges he faces with Phaedros Savvopoulos, is also being investigated for offences of wiretapping and disclosure of the content of private communications, for which a 10-year prison sentence is provided, or a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand euros (€100,000), or both.
We remind you that Patsalidis had made public visual material on Social Media, in which his private conversation with members of the Police was recorded, without receiving the consent of the latter.
The most serious charge facing both is related to the offence of money laundering for which a prison sentence of 14 years is provided.
Among other things, they are also accused of possession of a plaque or instrument used to make seals, conspiracy to commit a felony, threatening, securing money through false representations, forgery of a document and publishing false news.
In its decision yesterday, the Court of Assize and after examining the arguments of the prosecution and the defense, notes that "we are not satisfied that there is a real risk of the Defendants not appearing at the trial, given their personal circumstances".
In his conclusion, he states, among other things, that "... the offences (...) in no way reveal the repetition in the length of time that the Prosecution's counsel mentioned. In addition, according to the testimony before us, the Defendants allegedly committed the offences attributed to them in the context of a uniform conduct on the basis of their own beliefs. Also, we do not overlook the extent of the financial damage allegedly suffered by third parties, which is very small, as well as the fact that the Defendants have a clean criminal record. Taking into account all the above, we believe that the indictment does not reveal a propensity of the Defendants to commit crime, such as to require their imprisonment for the protection of society."
Kostakis Patsalidis seemed visibly psychologically charged in yesterday's proceedings. Upon entering the courtroom, in fact, he repeatedly made his cross.
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Members of the Bicycle Police, shortly before 2.00 p.m. yesterday [14/07] proceeded to the arrest of a 27-year-old man, after the detection of stolen property in his possession.
The theft was committed a little earlier and specifically around 12.45 noon, on a beach in Limassol.
According to a complaint by a 68-year-old woman, she went for a swim in the coastal area and left her bag on the beach, which contained two mobile phones, a wallet with a sum of €200, and bank cards, as well as clothing. Finishing the swim and returning to the beach, around 1.15 p.m., she found that her property had been stolen.
The 68-year-old expressed suspicions against an unknown suspect, whom she had seen around 12.45 in the area where her bag was.
She mentioned the description of the suspect, with members of the Bicycle Police who rushed for examinations in the area, locating in the area, the 27-year-old who resembled the description of the suspect.
In the possession of the 27-year-old, the two mobile phones, a sum of €140, and a number of packets of cigarettes were found, while in searches carried out in the area, the rest of the 68-year-old's property was found thrown in an open space.
The 27-year-old was arrested by the members of the Bicycle Police, while later interrogated, he allegedly confessed to the theft.
The Central Police Station of Limassol City is investigating.
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Members of the Police proceeded yesterday [14/07], to the arrest of a 33-year-old man, pursuant to a court warrant, in connection with an arson case.
The arson was committed last Saturday, [12/07], around 6.45 in the morning, when a malicious fire was set in a garage of a house owned by a 58-year-old woman. The fire was immediately extinguished by the 58-year-old. Damage was caused to the garage (made of wood and tins) and to a water tank.
The case is being investigated by the Larnaca TAE.
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A road collision with minors driving a moped occurred around 5.00 p.m. on Monday [14/07], on a road in Alethriko, Larnaca district.
According to the Police, a 14-year-old was driving a moped, with a 13-year-old passenger, and under circumstances that are being investigated, at a point of the road, they collided sideways, with a passing car, driven by a 44-year-old.
The two minors were transferred by their relatives to the Larnaca General Hospital, where they received treatment and were discharged, since they do not seem to have suffered any serious injury.
The Regional Police Station of Kofinou is investigating.
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The attempted murder in Pyla targeting a 49-year-old Greek Cypriot, which was committed in front of the eyes of his partner, as well as her 12-year-old daughter, is disturbing the waters. The Police estimate that the perpetrator, who shot and wounded the 49-year-old in the leg, had a death contract against him, however, he did not achieve his goal. According to police sources, there are three scenarios on the table as to why he did not manage to murder the victim: either he changed his plan seeing the 12-year-old and her mother on the scene, or his pistol was jammed, or he was surprised by the reaction of the 49-year-old, who started shouting loudly.
Whatever happened, however, this particular criminal act is separated from the corresponding ones that took place in other provinces in the last twenty-four hours, since the first examinations show a premeditated crime with instigators. This in itself puts the Police on alert, fearing a new cycle of bloodshed, given that until late yesterday afternoon all possibilities regarding the motives of the assassination attempt remained open.
The investigations of the investigators of the Larnaca TAE are directed in various directions related to the 49-year-old's past, as well as his professional activities. Under the microscope are the relationships of the victim, who is a freelancer, with various persons who are expected to be called for testimony. What the injured man verbally stated does not give direction to the investigations, since he allegedly verbally claimed that he had no differences with anyone and that he does not suspect who may be hiding behind the murder attempt.
It is noted that the new criminal act was committed yesterday, shortly after midnight, in the house of the 49-year-old, which is located next to fields.
The victim returned home with his partner and the 12-year-old girl in the car, whom he had just picked up from the airport. As soon as they got out of the vehicle, the perpetrator, fired two shots, with a pistol, towards the 49-year-old. One of the bullets hit him in the leg, while one bullet was found in one of the suitcases. The 49-year-old was transported by ambulance to the Larnaca General Hospital where he was found to have a puncture wound to the right lower limb and was detained for hospitalization.
Members of the forensic team rushed to the scene, as well as the Larnaca police director, Yiannis Sotiriadis. Two pistol bullets were taken from the scene, as well as various other documents that were sent for scientific examinations, while CCTV videos are also being sought in an attempt to locate the movements of the perpetrator, who fled on foot and is estimated to have had an accomplice, who was waiting for him elsewhere either by car or motorcycle.
