Filenews 14 December 2025 - by Ernest Moussas
A new era begins in the field of public order, after the announcement of the establishment of the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (DAOE), or "Cyprus FBI". The announcement was made by Marios Hartsiotis, shortly before the President of the Republic made public his decision to move him from the Ministry of Justice and Public Order to the post of Presidential Commissioner. With the Greek Minister of Citizen Protection, Michalis Chrysochoidis, by his side, Mr. Hartsiotis spoke of the "battle" with organized crime, which requires daily vigilance in order to achieve the best possible results.
It is now a fact that organized crime - the underworld, more simply - in recent years has been completely emboldened. We have reached the point of witnessing cold-blooded murders in broad daylight, in the middle of the street, undisguised shooting incidents in neighbourhoods where children, teenagers and unsuspecting citizens circulate, as well as daily arson of vehicles or other actions with a clear warning character.
In these circumstances, therefore, a more targeted action is necessary. But how does the equivalent work in Greece and what will its success in Cyprus depend on? These, as well as others, are analyzed by "F of Sunday". The former Minister of Justice and Public Order, Nikos Koshis, gives his opinion on the way in which this new task force should be set up, while the lawyer Christos Clerides explains why he considers Hartsiotis' statement that the goal is to create an FBI in Cyprus to be unfortunate.
The announcements of Hartsiotis-Chrysochoidis
The announcement of the I.A.O.E. was made in the joint statements given by the two Ministers, Marios Hartsiotis and Michalis Chrysochoidis. Mr. Hartsiotis stressed that the IAOE will be based on standards already set by the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime in Greece, which has proven to be particularly effective. The Minister said that organized crime concerns all member states of the European Union and is one of the top issues discussed in the EU Councils. "The D.A.O.E. is being created with the guidance and support of Mr. Chrysochoidis and his Staff, and we expect that this will be particularly helpful for both Cyprus and Greece," he noted.
Mr. Chrysochoidis expressed his satisfaction with the cooperation with Mr. Hartsiotis, stressing that security is a valuable good and constitutional right for every citizen. The Greek Minister of Citizen Protection stressed that organized crime is international and requires cooperation to dismantle it. "The Directorate for Combating Organized Crime in Greece has made 1,500 arrests and 550 pre-trial detentions in just one year," he said, excluding the effectiveness of the Greek service. Mr. Chrysochoidis also underlined the importance of police training and technology in the fight against crime. "Lifelong training of police officers is critical to them to be combative and effective," he said, while pointing out the need for information and know-how exchange between the two countries.
The two Ministers agreed that the cooperation between the Cypriot and Greek authorities is daily and includes the exchange of information and know-how. Mr. Hartsiotis stressed that the new Directorate will be based on three main foundations:
> The legislative regime that will provide the legal tools to work undistracted in its effort to strike at organized crime.
> The building part.
> The staffing that should be done by the right people.
Mr. Chrysochoidis said that the services of the two countries are already cooperating on a daily basis, with the establishment of a "live hot line" between the Chiefs of the police forces of the two countries and the critical services.
Mr. Hartsiotis, answering a question about a timetable for the implementation of the announcement, clarified that there is none. "I believe that such a blow will be given through the structure and organization of this Directorate, so there is no timetable, on the contrary, what exists is an effort to set it up as soon as possible and in the best possible way, because sometimes it is not just the time, above all it is the way to set it up correctly", he stressed. He expressed the hope that the I.A.O.E. will make a significant contribution to the fight against organized crime in Cyprus.
The example of the "Greek FBI"
On October 8, 2024, the presidential decree establishing the so-called "Greek FBI" was signed and published in the Greek Government Gazette. The Greek I.A.O.E. was part of the decisions for restructuring in the Hellenic Police. It is based in Attica, has administrative autonomy and is subordinate to the Headquarters of the Hellenic Police. It is supervised, coordinated, directed and controlled by the Chief of the Hellenic Police. From its establishment until today, the Commander is Major General Fotios Douitsis, while its key Services are flanked by the most experienced Security Police officers, with many years of experience in their positions.
In the area under its jurisdiction, the Directorate exercises the responsibilities of the public security police. Its responsibilities are as follows:
- The dismantling of criminal organisations, domestic or cross-border,
- The investigation into money laundering,
- To monitor the evolution and trends of serious and organized crime and to study the scientific and technical methods of combating them,
- Cooperation with law enforcement authorities of other countries,
- The provision of know-how and training to the staff of the competent regional police services for the more effective fight against serious and organized crime,
- To cooperate with other territorially competent services of the Hellenic Police or other authorities and services and in particular the Independent Authority for Public Revenue, the National Transparency Authority, the Anti-Money Laundering Authority and the Financial Crime Body;
- Cooperation with EUROPOL, INTERPOL and with co-competent authorities and services of the country and other Member States of the European Union and third countries,
- The utilization of information from all services under the responsibility of the country's public security police.
It is structured in 6 Sub-Directorates:
- Drug Prosecution
- Prosecution of Crimes against Life and Property
- Combating Trafficking and Trafficking in Human Beings and Goods
- Prosecution of Financial Crimes
- Dealing with Organized Sports Violence
- Information and Special Actions
The "Greek FBI" may undertake the investigation of serious crimes, following the approval or order of the Chief of the Hellenic Police.
The real bet goes through the Prisons
The creation of the new Directorate for Combating Organized Crime is undoubtedly an important breakthrough for the Cypriot data. However, as good as an announcement with the name - even unofficially - "Cypriot FBI" may sound, the real bet is one. To find the right people who will staff this new service. The situation with organized crime at the moment in Cyprus is terrifying. And the crucial question is whether the state can find those who have the integrity, guts and stomach to clash with an underworld that, for years, has shown that it is not afraid of anyone.
In the case of Cyprus, the fight against organized crime should of course also pass through the Central Prisons. Where the prison guards a few days ago rang an alarm bell for their own lives. Where one murder after another is organized. Where the count of how many times the operation of a mechanism that will prevent the operation of mobile phones within the penitentiary has been pointed out by official lips has been lost.
It remains to be seen whether the state will find the people who can make a difference. And if there are none... to create them, so that the recent announcement does not turn into another window announcement for internal consumption.
Nikos Koshis: Let's infiltrate crime with agents
My opinion is that the Ministry of Justice and Public Order and the President of the Republic acted very correctly for the establishment of the so-called "Cypriot FBI", following the Greek FBI, which seems to have positive results.
It was time to proceed with the establishment of this unit and I would suggest that we have contacts with other European countries that have similar units and have managed to reduce organized crime. We are a small state, we all know each other and we have an organized crime that is not justified to be on such an extent.
Therefore, the establishment of the "Cypriot FBI" is needed, which must be an independent unit, not a multi-member one, with a commander who has all the qualifications needed for such a position. The team that will surround the commander should not exceed 30 people, while its members should not necessarily be in the public eye.
This team should have its own information network, its own specialized economic researchers, have information from MOKAS, the KYP and the Police. All this information must be evaluated by a trusted team, whose members will be appointed by the commander of the "Cyprus FBI", in cooperation with the Chief of Police. For businesses, special police departments can be used, such as MMAD and EAO.
All of the above brings results if we manage to infiltrate organized crime with our own agents. Only in this way will the "Cypriot FBI" be able to have the desired results.
*Former Minister of Justice and Public Order
Christos Clerides: Hartsiotis' statement on the Cypriot FBI is unfortunate
The fact that the Police needs modernization and upgrading is a given. Besides, both the leadership of the Police and the Ministry of Justice have recently stated this and have also announced that measures are being taken to this end.
However, I find unfortunate the statement, if correctly attributed, by the former Minister of Justice, that the goal is to create an FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) in Cyprus. America has its own peculiar circumstances and history, and the FBI is a federal agency that meets the needs of the federal government to fight crime and to gather intelligence for the security of the federation and in general for maintaining order at the federal level.
Of course, in Cyprus we do not have a federation. We have a single occupied state. The FBI even operated very negatively in the 50s, launching a manhunt against suspected communists and or leftists with tragic results and consequences. But it also had successes in the fight against "gangsterism".
I recommend that we focus on the modernization of the Police, drawing from Europe, as well as from America and other countries, those elements that will help us to fight organized crime and deal with crime related to immigration issues in general. Let's look at the essence and not the headlines and the big names, starting with the very simple ones that are of course patrols, especially in cities and areas where crime is on the rise. Patrols that can be carried out with police vehicles but mainly with couples of police officers, who should, in my opinion, go out on the street. This will also increase the public's security of the House and the rule of law.
*Lawyer
