Filenews 22 October 2025 - by Michalis Chatzivasilis
Data on the factions operating in Cyprus by region, but without names, were given today in Parliament by the Minister of Justice and the Chief of Police.
In fact, the MPs members of the Legal Committee were shown a plan mapping the factions operating in the various provinces as well as the sectors in which they spread their illegal activity. As reported by Minister Martios Hartsiotis, according to information from Filenews, the authorities know the people who are active in organized crime, who is leading, while they know that there are persons related to two separate factions from different cities.
Information was also provided on a foreign faction operating in Cyprus and the sectors it deals with. In the diagram shown to the MPs from afar, the areas in which organized crime operates as well as the "army" they have to carry out their illegal plans are shown.
According to our same information, the MPs asked several questions regarding the action of the factions, while they also referred to the latest murder in Limassol with the victim Stavros Demosthenous. The Chief of Police, Themistos Arnaoutis, expressed his optimism to the MPs that this heinous crime will finally be solved. MPs expressed their satisfaction with the actions taken by the authorities.
In his statements after the meeting of the Committee, the Minister of Justice, after referring to organized crime and the measures taken by the Police and the government, expressed the assessment that the investigations of the authorities into the murder of Demosthenous are on the right track. Motives are being sought, he said, while asked to comment on the fact that the crime took place in broad daylight, Mr. Hartsiotis replied that the robbery at the Louvre also took place in the morning hours, stressing that the crime is mutating and the illegals do not hesitate to act at any time in order to carry out their plans. He stressed that many measures are being taken to combat crime which have begun to pay off.
At the closed-door session of the Legal Committee, Mr. Hartsiotis, as we are informed, gave information on the fight against organized crime. As he told the MPs, since April 2024, the Asset Investigation Branch has been established to check people who have not given rise to their involvement in generative offenses, but seem to lead a lifestyle that is not consistent with the income they declare to the state.
As part of the investigation of cases, assets including a hotel, a house, cars worth €1.1 million, ancient relics and a church icon were seized. From 1/1/2024 to 16/5/2025, amounts of money reaching €1.2 million have been frozen or confiscated. At the same time, properties such as houses, apartments, hotels and plots of land with a total value of €8.9 million were seized or confiscated. and jewellery and valuables with a total value of one million.
Vehicles worth €1.1 million were also seized. as well as cryptocurrencies worth €25 million. Also, €1.8 million were frozen in bank accounts abroad and another €890.000 which are amounts for investigated cases.
