Pafos Live 28 February 2026
Members of YKAN, after evaluating information, carried out a coordinated operation yesterday in Nicosia, during which a 32-year-old man was arrested.
Specifically, in a search of the 32-year-old's vehicle, after receiving a package from a courier company, a package containing about eleven kilograms of cannabis was found.
As part of the investigation of the case, the 32-year-old, who is expected to appear before the Nicosia District Court today, for the issuance of a detention order, was arrested for a self-inflicted crime and taken into custody.
YKAN (Nicosia District Unit) continues the examinations.
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Filenews
Around 9.50 p.m. yesterday, while a 47-year-old man was driving his motorcycle in the area of the Paralimni - Deryneia roundabout, under circumstances that are being investigated, he lost control of it, as a result of which it overturned.
The 47-year-old was not injured, while he underwent an alcohol test with a final reading of 134μg% instead of 9μg%. The 47-year-old was arrested for a flagrante delicto, and was then released to be summoned before a Court.
The Paralimni Police Station continues the examinations.
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The presence and action of the Police last night was intense, throughout Cyprus, with organized patrols in key points of urban areas, with the aim of preventing serious criminal acts, ensuring public order and increasing the sense of security of the public.
As a result of the preventive policing operations, seven persons were arrested for various offenses, including driving under the influence of alcohol and illegal possession of an offensive instrument.
As part of these operations, during the night, 960 vehicles were stopped for inspection and 1,106 persons on board were checked. At the same time, 62 inspections of premises were carried out, with the aim of dealing with phenomena of delinquency, from which five complaints emerged.
During traffic checks carried out, 261 complaints were made, concerning various traffic violations, of which 45 driver complaints for driving under the influence of alcohol stand out. A total of 573 alcohol checks were carried out. Also, as part of the police examinations, 21 vehicles were detained.
Coordinated policing operations, for the prevention and suppression of crime, continue daily, with an increased/enhanced police presence, targeted controls and immediate operational action, with the aim of increasing the sense of security of citizens/protecting citizens and ensuring public order.
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Two foreign persons were arrested yesterday as suspects in a case related to terrorism and espionage, and already by a decision of the Court they were placed under five-day detention today, Friday.
The two allegedly photographed premises of foreign interests in three cities, namely Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos. Their arrest was preceded by information to the security authorities from foreign services, that the two came to Cyprus in order to monitor and photograph properties of foreign interests in Cyprus related to Israelis.
Authorities are investigating when the two came to Cyprus and on whose behalf they were acting, while it is estimated that they would depart outside Cyprus tomorrow. According to information, the two arrived on our island 2-3 days ago and started moving in various areas, while they were placed under surveillance by the authorities, whose members intervened and arrested them.
Today, the two arrested on suspicion of the serious offences of espionage and terrorism were brought before the Nicosia District Court, which issued a detention order for him for five days. The case is considered serious and measures are already being taken to protect various premises, in view of the tense situation with Iran.
The Police, according to our information, proceeded to confiscate the mobile phones of the two suspects as well as other electronic devices, in order to undergo a forensic examination to see what they were photographing and whether they were transmitting them anywhere. The investigations, as reported to Filenews, are in the initial stage and will be followed by investigations into their places of residence and the way they are moved.
It is noted that the authorities had arrested two other foreigners in two separate cases, with one linked to the photographing of the British Base in Akrotiri and the Andreas Papandreou Base in Paphos in June 2025, while the other, who was caught in 2021, was sentenced last November for a conspiracy case to 6,5 years in prison, after charges of planned actions against Israelis in Nicosia were previously dropped.
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The Limassol Police Department has arrested two persons allegedly involved in four arsons, which have occupied the authorities in recent months.
This is a 28-year-old man, who was already in custody for the arson of a showroom selling luxury vehicles, as well as another person from Nicosia.
According to information from Filenews, investigators obtained testimony allegedly implicating the two suspects in four arson cases. Among them is the arson of luxury cars belonging to a well-known Russian businessman, a friend of Stavros Demosthenous.
The two arrested are expected to be brought before the Limassol District Court today, where the Police will request the issuance of a detention order.
Update - The investigator of the Limassol Police Department made serious revelations about the action of the two suspects, 28 and 33 years old, today, Saturday (28/02), before the Limassol District Court, in the context of the detention procedure of the two for the four cases of arson, which were committed on 26/11/2025, 08/12/2025, 25/01/2026 and 18/12/2025. According to the evidence that comes to light, the members of the criminal organization threatened businessmen with "protection", while those who denied their demands became the targets of dangerous arsons.
The process started shortly after 9:30 in the morning, however due to strong objections on the part of the defense lawyers, it remains ongoing (12:30). The investigators of the TAE Limassol request the detention of the two suspects for a period of eight days, citing serious and extensive investigative work that remains.
The cases concern the arson of luxury vehicles of the Russian businessman in Mouttagiaka, the arson of vehicles in a car wash on Spyros Kyprianou Avenue, the arson in the liquor store of the same Russian and the arson of the car saleroom selling luxury vehicles.
It is noted that the oath of the head of the investigative team, Lieutenant Panagiotis Mouridis, was not read publicly, as a result of which the facts and the details of the testimony were not known to journalists. During the process, the head of the investigative team stated before the court that just a few minutes ago, another person wanted for the cases under investigation was arrested at Larnaca airport. This is the third person allegedly involved in the criminal group.
On the part of the defense, the 28-year-old's lawyer spoke of foreign motives, arguing that the court warrant against his client was issued just 20 minutes before the start of yesterday's referral process of the 28-year-old before the Permanent Criminal Court of Limassol, for the case of arson of a window selling luxury vehicles committed on 25/01/2026.
In response, the witness stated that a case has already been registered before the Court for the offences of 25 January 2026, as well as for previous offences. He stressed that the evaluation of the testimony shows that the 28-year-old did not act alone, but had accomplices, which makes it necessary to continue the investigations and issue today's detention order.
The four cases, as he argued, cannot be separated at this stage, as they are being investigated as a single whole, in the context of a case that also concerns the offense of criminal organization, one of the most serious criminal offenses. According to the investigator, new evidence and witnesses are constantly emerging, while the arrested are connected to each other, have mutual friends and met both in houses and in a café owned by the 33-year-old (2nd suspect), in the province of Nicosia, where they coordinated and decided on their plans.
Criminal organization and blackmail of businessmen
The investigator referred during his cross-examination to information received by the Police from a reliable informant, who had previously provided reliable information. As he said, this information was the basis for the issuance of arrest and search warrants for the three persons. In fact, he revealed that the informant is a person who knows the 28-year-old suspect and that the latter had approached him, suggesting that he join the team for a fee.
According to what Filenews is informed, the alleged criminal organization was demanding sums of money from businessmen, with threats, in order to provide "protection". In cases of refusal, he allegedly proceeded to malicious actions, such as arson of property, as a means of blackmail and pressure.
The informant allegedly implicated a third person was arrested today at Larnaca airport, claiming that he went to Limassol to help by checking an area that was the target of arson and to inform the other two suspects in case of an approach by patrol cars.
At the same time, according to the same testimony, the suspects allegedly hid mobile phones in homes and in the cafeteria that they used to communicate with each other, as well as a large motorcycle, which was allegedly used in the arson of a liquor store in the Germasogeia area.
From the evaluation of the witness material and the closed surveillance circuits, it appears that this particular motorcycle was recorded moving in the areas where at least two of the four arsons were committed, sometimes with one and sometimes with two occupants. In one of the 4 cases, as reported by the investigator of the case, a security guard confronted the perpetrator and tried to prevent him, however he pushed him and, with audacity, doused millions of vehicles with flammable material.
The investigative team, as he said, is expected to proceed with reconnaissance factions, in which the guard who tried to prevent the arson and who gave a description of the perpetrator with whom he came into contact will be called. Both the first suspect and the second will take part in the reconnaissance faction.
Offenses related to participation in a criminal organization, conspiracy to commit a felony, arson and malicious damage are being investigated against the two, while the 33-year-old suspect is additionally being investigated for the crime of burglary of a building committed on 25/01/2026.
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As part of the actions of the Limassol Police Department for the prevention and suppression of juvenile delinquency, as well as the inspections at targeted points where there is a disturbance by young persons, several inspections were carried out.
In two cases, one in Agia Fyla and one in Mesa Geitonia, groups of young people were found causing a riot. In the presence of the Police, the persons fled, however two of them were stopped and arrested.
They are 17-year-olds and 15-year-olds. In the possession of the 17-year-old, an aggressive instrument was found, specifically a folding bat, while the 15-year-old had his face covered with a hood.
The two minors were arrested and handled in accordance with the provisions of the relevant legislation.
