The prosecuting authorities have dealt significant blows against organized crime, after the implementation of a series of recommendations by FBI experts, for the formation of a task force consisting of co-competent Services. At the same time, the government is determined to proceed with drastic changes in the Central Prisons, both for the fight against the crime that hatches in the cells, and for the administrative problems with lack of cooperation and inadequacy.
According to a report prepared by a competent Service and recently given to the government, the Task Force group that was recently set up, carried out two serious cases, which are taking the path of Justice, while a third is in the final stage of investigations. In one case, a ring of illegal activities was revealed and an amount of more than half a million euros was confiscated, while in the second, a money laundering group operating with a business window was dismantled. In this case, luxury vehicles worth several tens of thousands of euros and more than 200,000 euros in cash were seized.
The Task Force consists of representatives of all the competent Services of the Republic (Police, Tax Department, Customs, MOKAS and others), with the mandate to examine serious cases of organized crime. All information is consolidated and the course of action is planned, so that there is no fragmentation and overlap.
It is recalled that the formation of the team was done on the instructions of the President of the Republic on the basis of the recommendations of the FBI team of experts, which came to Cyprus (after the publication of the Cyprus Confidential investigation), at the request of the government to assist in the investigations into the possible involvement of legal or natural persons from Cyprus, in circumventing sanctions and hiding the wealth of oligarchs. The establishment of the Task Force was one of the key steps of the government's initiatives to combat organized crime. The next development, according to information from "F", is the taking of further measures to strengthen the supervisory and prosecuting authorities (Police, MOKAS, Tax Commissioner, Customs, and other Services) against financial crime.
According to the report, the key that launched the above developments was the finding of FBI experts that anti-crime investigations are more effective with the cooperation and sometimes joint action of the Services involved, through the exchange and evaluation of important information, such as the quick and unjustified acquisition of property by a natural or legal person, the unusual movement of money and other data. "Follow the money", was the suggestion of the American experts to the Cypriot officials. They also noted that a person's lifestyle should be consistent with their financial capacity, otherwise it is the first indication of the need for control.
In particular, they indicated that in cases of organized crime, the financial dimension of the individuals or companies involved should be investigated, because as it was characteristically mentioned, it is not reasonable for a suspect to present himself as a salaried employee with a monthly income of €1,000 and drive around in a car worth €100,000.
