Wednesday, October 22, 2025

CRIME ROUND UP

 Pafos Live 22 October 2025



A Turkish Cypriot was arrested at Paphos airport with 65 boxes of cigarettes in his luggage that he procured from the occupied territories.

According to the customs department, yesterday officers of the department at Paphos Airport, after evaluating information, located a 58-year-old Turkish Cypriot passenger with British citizenship, before his departure for the United Kingdom, having a large amount of tobacco products in his luggage, which did not bear the marking for the harmful of smoking in the Greek and Turkish languages, but neither did the security feature and the unique traceability code, indications that they were duty-free.

Specifically, 65 boxes of 200 cigarettes each were found. The passenger was arrested for flagrante delicto, while luggage and cigarettes were confiscated. He was later taken to a police detention center to appear this morning before the Paphos District Court for the issuance of a detention order.

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The Paphos District Court issued an eight-day detention order against the 46-year-old Georgian who stabbed a supermarket employee. The Police are investigating a case of assault and injury of a 24-year-old man, with a knife, as well as robbery.

According to the data under investigation, shortly before 5.45 pm on Tuesday, a private security guard in a supermarket in Paphos, noticed inside the supermarket, a 46-year-old man, who looked like a suspicious person, who had stolen alcoholic beverages from the supermarket in the previous days. He also realized that the suspect may have hidden an object that looked like a bottle in his clothes.

After the 46-year-old went to the cashier and paid for the purchase of products, he headed to the exit, where the private security guard, together with a 24-year-old employee at the supermarket, stopped him. After telling him the reason why he was stopped, the 46-year-old allegedly pulled out a knife and injured the 24-year-old in the right leg.

Members of the Police rushed to the scene for examinations, while during the searches in the area, around 6.15 in the afternoon, they located the 46-year-old suspect, leaving a vehicle parking lot, a second store, driving a car. The police stopped him for a check and after finding a folding knife in his possession, they proceeded to arrest him, for a flagrante delicto.

In a search of the 46-year-old's car, the members of the Police found supermarket products, as well as a piece of paper with a quantity of white crystalline substance, similar to methamphetamine, and a glass container of drug use with a burnt substance. The 46-year-old underwent a preliminary test for driving under the influence of drugs, with a positive result.

The 24-year-old injured man was taken to Paphos General Hospital, where he was found to have bruises on his right leg. He was treated and discharged shortly after 9.00 in the evening.

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A quantity of more than half a kilogram of cocaine was seized yesterday by the Police, while a 23-year-old woman was arrested to facilitate the investigations. The amount of cocaine is expected to increase, since other packages seem to be found in the body of the 23-year-old.

The amount of cocaine was detected as part of the actions, which are being carried out in cooperation between the Police and the Customs Department, to detect drugs imported into Cyprus, through airports.

After evaluating information, according to which a woman who would arrive in Cyprus from abroad, hid a quantity of drugs in her body, yesterday at noon, in the arrivals area of Larnaca airport, the 23-year-old was stopped for a check. Nine egg-like nylon packages containing cocaine, with a total gross weight of 88 grams, were found and confiscated inside her bra. Also inside her underwear, a package containing cocaine, with a gross weight of 452 grams, was found.

The 23-year-old was arrested for the flagrante delicto. She was then taken to the Hospital, where she underwent a radiological examination, through which a number of preparations were found inside her body. Therefore, the arrested woman was detained in the Hospital, where she was given appropriate medication, in order to eliminate the preparations.
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Filenews

In a new arrest for the case of the murder of 49-year-old Stavros Demosthenous committed last Friday (17/10/2025) in Limassol. According to the Police, he is a 30-year-old convict in the Central Prison.

Information from Filenews states that the authorities have reached the traces of the 30-year-old convict after the testimony of the 30-year-old who has been in custody since yesterday.

As our website is informed, the latter told the investigators that he received instructions from the convict to buy the motorcycle. The arrested person is expected to be interrogated in relation to what is attributed to him about the motorcycle.

It should be noted that after the motorcycle was purchased, it seems that an arrangement was made so that it was picked up by another person.

The convict, who was convicted of a case of 12 kilograms of drugs and is serving his sentence (4 years) in the Central Prison, according to our information, is in the same wing as another convict, whose cell was checked on Sunday night by members of the Police.

It is recalled that the authorities have proceeded to arrest four other suspects, who seem to have a role in the case. In addition to the 44-year-old former football player and owner of the motorcycle that appears to have been used in the murder, a 59-year-old and a 30-year-old man from Nicosia, as well as a 39-year-old man of Greek origin, a resident of Limassol, were also arrested. The latter is said to have a key role, as he is recorded in closed surveillance circuits in all three scenes, as in the previous days before the murder of the 49-year-old businessman.

The three suspects were brought before the Limassol Court yesterday morning, under draconian security measures, accompanied by armed members of the EAO and OPE, wearing bulletproof vests. Despite the objections of the lawyers of the 59-year-old and the 39-year-old, the Court approved the request of the Police and ordered their 8-day detention.

Update - A raid on a woman's house took place on Tuesday afternoon (21/10) in Nicosia, as part of the investigations being carried out into the murder case of Stavros Demosthenous.

According to information from philenews, members of the Police conducted a search of the woman's home, which is allegedly connected to one of the suspects in custody in the case.

Small quantities of drugs were found in the house and confiscated.

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The 39-year-old defendant in the case of attempted murder against a 42-year-old Ukrainian, which was committed in a well-known beach hotel on Monday night (29/9), will remain on trial until the start of his trial. The 44-year-old Russian wanted man, who allegedly pulled out a pistol and shot the Ukrainian in the abdomen, remains missing for the time being.

The 39-year-old was referred to a direct trial before the Limassol Permanent Criminal Court, which will meet in early December. The multi-page indictment includes a total of 18 charges, which concern, among other things, offenses of conspiracy to commit a felony, attempted murder, illegal possession of a firearm and explosives, forgery, illegal stay in the Republic and participation in a criminal organization. Also included is a charge for demanding money with threats.

The Prosecuting Authority requested last Thursday the detention of the accused until the start of the trial, citing the risk of him not appearing in court and the possibility of evading justice. The lawyer of the accused objected to the request of the TAE Limassol, however, after three working days, the Court ruled today (21/10) in favour of his detention.

The witness material is characterized as voluminous and includes a multi-page report from closed circuit surveillance material obtained by the Police. As heard in Court, the material records the arrival of the accused's vehicle at the place of residence of the wanted person, as well as their departure from the scene. The arrival times of all the vehicles of those involved at the hotel, the meeting on the terrace of the hotel's cafeteria, as well as the incident that took place in front of the fountain, with a detailed description, are also recorded.

In addition, the defendant's departure from the hotel is recorded, while there is a change in the colour of the hat he was wearing. As noted, in the photos the hat appears black, while when he left the hotel it bears white details.

The incident is linked, according to the Police, to extortionate demands of €500.000 for "protection" from the wanted person, who is allegedly a member of the criminal organization "Vor v Zakone", as well as from the accused, who is active in the purchase and sale of luxury cars. The accused is also allegedly involved in a previous incident, which unfolded in the morning hours of September 28, with the partner of the complaining Ukrainian, as well as with his friends.

As for the 44-year-old wanted man, known as "DATO", the TAE Limassol has already issued European and International Arrest Warrants to locate him, as he is considered extremely dangerous.

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For the second time in a month and a half, on the same school bus route, incidents are caused by students.

This time the driver of the bus, which picked up students from the Larnaca Technical School to take them to Kiti and Pervolia, according to the complaints, was forced to stop in the center of Larnaca, when students started throwing objects at him. As CPT commercial director Alexandros Kamberos told Filenews, "students threw olives and cans of soft drinks at the driver", as a result of which the bus stopped and the Police were called on the spot. "The issue of the safety of the children themselves was raised from the moment objects were thrown at the driver. First and foremost, the safety of the students comes first and foremost and the driver must stop and the Police were called", noted Mr. Kamberos.

Information from the Police states that two patrol cars rushed to the spot and registered the occupants of the bus, while their parents were also called to pick them up. The case, as we were told, is being investigated and the bus driver was called to testify. The event caused strong protests to parents who were informed that the route in question was suspended indefinitely.

The president of the organized parents of Larnaca, Costas Costa, stated on our website that it is not possible for all students to pay for the action of the minority, which must be identified by the Police. He also noted that tonight they will meet extraordinarily to decide on their next steps It is recalled that at the beginning of September, the route in question was interrupted again due to another incident caused by students and it was decided to place a guard.

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An arrest warrant was issued tonight against the 38-year-old father of a student who today entered his child's high school with threatening intentions, protesting against the beating of his child by a classmate. The warrant was issued for illegal entry into the school, threats, insult and causing concern on the part of the father.

The incident started during recess at the high school attended by the 38-year-old's 13-year-old son. Under circumstances that are being investigated, there was a fight between two students, 15 and 13 years old. The 13-year-old visited Paphos Hospital after the incident, where he was found to have abrasions on his hands and after receiving first aid he left the hospital.

Subsequently, the student's father went to school and in a threatening mood shouted and threatened, causing a disturbance.

The incident was reported by the management of the school to the Police, who went to the scene and began examinations, resulting in the issuance of an arrest warrant against the specific parent tonight.

How does the Ministry of Education comment

The message that racist attitudes must stop was sent by the Deputy Director of Secondary Education, Giorgos Koutsidis, when asked to comment on the incident of a fight between two underage students at a High School in Paphos.

In his statements, Mr. Koutsidis sent a clear message that "these racist attitudes and phobias we have must be stopped", describing the incident as isolated. He also added that with the start of the new school year there were no other issues.

We hope, he continued, "these isolated incidents will stop, but we are in a position to manage them immediately."

In conclusion, he said that above all is the safety of the students.

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The "prosecutor" today brought a new "charge" against the Greek Cypriot couple in the "district court" of occupied Trikomo, escalating the ongoing case.

As broadcast in the occupied territories, in addition to the "accusation" of "violation of personal data" faced by the two Greek Cypriots, the "prosecutor" of the case, who had previously announced his intention, added to the "indictment" the "offense" of "violation of the law on the protection of privacy and private space".

The two Greek Cypriots did not accept either the new or the old "accusation".

The "prosecutor" claimed in "court" that through the secretary of the real estate company Royal, Altan Ouzounoglou, the two Greek Cypriots illegally received real estate data and chronological transfer data, belonging to four natural persons and two companies for their properties.

The next "trial" is set for next Friday, October 24 at 10 am and three people will appear in "court", one uniformed "policeman" and two in "civilian" clothing.

CNA

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Cooperation with the authorities of Romania and Italy, led the Police to arrest a 57-year-old man in connection with an investigated case of internet fraud, extortion of money by false representations, and money laundering.

According to a Police announcement, the 57-year-old has been wanted by the Authorities of the Republic since last March. A European arrest warrant was issued against him, following evidence that emerged during the investigation by the Limassol TAE for a case of online fraud.

From the cooperation with the Romanian authorities, evidence emerged against the 57-year-old, to identify the beneficiary of the bank account, in a bank in the European country, where a company based in Cyprus, after being deceived, sent a large amount of money by transfer, more than 35 thousand US dollars.

The 57-year-old was located in Italy in September and arrested by the country's authorities, based on the European warrant, while after a court proceeding, the Italian authorities approved the request for his extradition to Cyprus.

Members of the Police went to Italy from where yesterday they flew the suspect to Cyprus. Upon arrival at Larnaca airport, the members of the Police proceeded to arrest the 57-year-old with a court warrant.

The case was reported to the Limassol Police Department, by the Director of a company based in Limassol. According to the complaint, in the context of cooperation with a company based abroad, his company for the payment of an invoice, sent by a partner company based abroad, the Cypriot company proceeded to transfer a sum of money amounting to 35,120 dollars, to a bank account in a bank in Romania.

The complainant's company had previously received a message from an e-mail account similar to the e-mail of the partner of a foreign company, in which it was stated that the account to which the payment should have been made had been changed. The message stated that the payment should be made to a new bank account, in a bank in Romania, whose details were mentioned in the message.

The management of the company realized that it had been deceived, since after the payment of the money, it was informed by the partner foreign company that the bank account to which the payment should have been made was never changed and that the bank account in Romania does not belong to it.

The Financial Crime Investigation Office of the TAE Limassol continues the examinations.