Pafos Live 19 March 2026
The police made arrests at Paphos airport late in the afternoon of passengers who were "loaded" with cigarettes from the occupied territories.
This is not the first time something like this has happened, but this time the arrested seem to be ready to cooperate to dismantle the London-based ring and the occupied territories.
Turkish Cypriots residing in London seem to play a key role in the operation of the ring.
Update - Filenews
On March 18, 2026, officials of the Customs Department at Paphos Airport proceeded to check the luggage of three British passengers, two women aged 36 and 42 and a 47-year-old man, who were due to travel to Manchester, United Kingdom. The inspection revealed that in their luggage there were large quantities of cigarettes without the prescribed markings for the harmfulness to health in the Greek and Turkish languages, which indicates that they were duty-free.
Specifically, 65 boxes of 200 cigarettes were found in the luggage of the 36-year-old, 65 boxes were also found in the luggage of the 42-year-old, while 61 boxes of 200 cigarettes each were found in the luggage of the 47-year-old.
The three passengers were arrested for flagrante delicto offenses and their luggage was confiscated. The 36-year-old was later released after accepting an out-of-court settlement with a payment of €3.000. The 42-year-old and the 47-year-old will appear today, Thursday, March 19, 2026, at the Paphos District Court, with a request for a four-day detention order to facilitate the investigative work of the Paphos Customs.
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As part of the investigation of a case involving the arrest of three persons in Limassol for illegal possession of property, assault on a Police Officer, members of the Limassol Police Department and the YDAP Police Headquarters, conducted a search last night in a room of a house in Nicosia, for which there was information that it was used by one of the three arrested.
During the search, gold, branded bags, perfumes, money, and many other items were found and confiscated.
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Filenews
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, nine persons were arrested for various offenses, such as carrying knives, assault causing actual bodily harm, interference in a judicial process, illegal stay, illegal possession of duty-free tobacco products and others.
As part of these operations, during the night, 559 vehicles were stopped for inspection and a total of 674 drivers and passengers were checked. At the same time, 29 inspections of premises were carried out, with the aim of dealing with phenomena of delinquency.
During traffic checks carried out, 367 complaints were made, concerning various traffic violations. Of these, 115 complaints from drivers for violating the speed limit stand out. Six drivers were found positive in preliminary tests of driving under the influence of drugs. 32 tests were also carried out for drunk driving, during which two drivers tested positive. As part of the police investigations, 11 vehicles were detained.
Coordinated policing operations, for the prevention and suppression of crime, continue daily, with an enhanced police presence, targeted controls and immediate operational action, in order to protect citizens and ensure public order.
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It was reported to the Police yesterday afternoon by a 22-year-old food distributor that, around 6.50 in the afternoon of the same day, he went to a specific street in Limassol to deliver an order.
According to him, upon his arrival on the street in question, he was approached by 5-6 young people, who allegedly attacked him and after beating him, stole a sum of money.
The complainant has superficial injuries, however, he did not want to go to the Hospital for treatment.
The TAE Limassol continues the examinations.
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A 40-year-old man from the province of Limassol was arrested and detained last night, to facilitate investigations into an investigated case of illegal possession of drugs.
Specifically, around 6.45 yesterday afternoon, members of YKAN went to the house where the 40-year-old lives, to conduct a search under a court warrant.
The members of YKAN knocked on the door. However, the 40-year-old refused to open while he was seen running to the back of the house through an open window.
As a result, the police broke the door and entered the house where they found the 40-year-old lying above the toilet bowl, in which about 4 grams of cannabis were found.
The 40-year-old was arrested for a flagrante delicto offense and then further investigation found about six more grams of cannabis, a small amount of a white substance resembling cocaine, as well as a precision electronic scale with traces of cannabis and cocaine.
As part of the evaluation of evidence and testimonies, a search was also carried out in the adjacent house of a relative of the arrested, where cocaine weighing approximately 44 grams was found. The 40-year-old allegedly told the police that the quantity found is his.
The 40-year-old arrested man was taken into custody while YKAN continues the examinations.
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A 23-year-old resident of the province of Larnaca was arrested in the early hours of this morning and taken into custody to facilitate investigations regarding an investigated case of conspiracy to commit a felony, assault causing grievous bodily harm, injury and similar acts as well as carrying knives.
The case was reported by three persons aged 36, 30 and 25, according to whom, around 8.50 last night, they had got into an argument with a 23-year-old man, inside an apartment building in Larnaca.
The 23-year-old allegedly called his friends to the scene, who allegedly attacked the complainants and injured the 25-year-old and the 30-year-old with a sharp object.
The two injured were transported by ambulance to Larnaca General Hospital where it was found that the 25-year-old had back injuries from a cutting instrument and other injuries. The 30-year-old had injuries to his hand from a cutting instrument. After they were given first aid, they were discharged.
Members of the Police who went to the scene, located and arrested the 23-year-old, to facilitate investigations.
The arrested person is expected to appear today before the Larnaca District Court for the procedure for issuing a detention order.
TAE Larnaca continues the exams.
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A 68-year-old Greek Cypriot, who is accused of the case of locating 994 sheets of A4 paper, which were impregnated with drugs, tried to escape to the occupied territories. The accused was brought before the Permanent Criminal Court of Larnaca today and replied that he does not plead guilty to the charges he faces, which relate to importation of a class B controlled drug, conspiracy to commit a felony, illegal supply of a controlled drug by another person, illegal possession of a controlled drug and illegal possession of a controlled drug for the purpose of supplying to another person. The start of the hearing of the case was set for May 26.
During the proceedings, the Prosecution requested that the pensioner, who was conditionally free, remain in custody. Citing the risks of the 68-year-old evading justice, the representative of the Prosecuting Authority stated that on February 21, the accused tried to cross by moped into the occupied territories, from the Deryneia roadblock, showing a stolen identity. In order to deceive the authorities, in fact, as reported in court, he wore a helmet and... surgical mask. The 68-year-old was noticed and arrested and another case was registered against him before the Famagusta District Court in Paralimni.
His lawyer objected to his detention, citing an error in a form submitted to the court regarding the date of the offense. In the end, the court decided that the accused remain in custody until the start of his trial.
It is recalled that the drug case is the largest of its kind investigated by YKAN, since about 300,000 doses of drugs would end up in the market, through the impregnated leaves, with the traffickers reaping about €1.5 million. The 68-year-old, who is Greek Cypriot, was arrested on January 13, following a coordinated operation by YKAN and YDAP at his home in Larnaca. The drug-laced leaves were found in his possession. In many of them, a synthetic drug belonging to the category of cannabinoids called MDMB was found. It is a substance that is much more potent than cannabis, with dangerous psychoactive effects for its users.
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On March 17, 2026, the Limassol Permanent Criminal Court imposed concurrent prison sentences, with a maximum of 6 years, on a defendant, who, after admitting, was found guilty of all 18 charges he faced for the offenses of possession, acquisition and distribution of material of sexual abuse of a minor, as well as offenses of possession of narcotic substances.
The Court, in its judgment, among other things, notes:
"The seriousness of the offenses arises both from their very nature and the consequences that acts of this kind have on their victims. In fact, due to the increasing prevalence of child pornography, in recent years, [...] the need has arisen for the adoption of relevant legislation, the purpose of which is none other than to protect children from their use as objects of pleasure."
The Court continues, stating:
"The scope of the criminal activity of the accused requires, in our judgment, his strict treatment in order to give the message that the occupation with the possession, acquisition and distribution of child pornographic material cannot be tolerated for any subjective reason that takes place."
The offenses were committed between the years 2021 and 2025.
The proceedings were conducted behind closed doors due to the nature of the case.
On behalf of the Attorney General of the Republic, the case was handled by Ms. Nadia Koliarou, Lawyer of the Republic.
