Filenews 22 March 2026
The actions of the Police throughout Cyprus continue, 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.
During the checks, the Police proceeded to arrest seven persons. One person was arrested for the self-inflicted crime of illegal possession of property, while three other persons were arrested after arrest warrants were pending against them for the offenses of malicious damage, theft and traffic violations, respectively. Two persons were arrested for the crime of illegal stay on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, while another person was arrested for leaving a scene of a traffic collision, resisting arrest, etc.
As part of these operations, during the night, 708 vehicles were stopped for inspection and a total of 927 drivers and passengers were checked. At the same time, inspections were carried out of 52 premises, where the managers/managers of ten of them were reported, for offenses in violation of their operation.
During traffic checks carried out, 163 drivers were reported for various traffic violations. Of these, 84 complaints related to exceeding the speed limit, while another 28 related to driving under the influence of alcohol. Also, as part of the police examinations, five 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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Members of the Police located last night, parked in the area of Nicosia, a vehicle which had been reported as stolen, on 17/03/2026.
The vehicle in question, after being placed under discreet surveillance, was then found approached by a 32-year-old man, against whom an arrest warrant was pending, for the theft of the vehicle in question.
After the members of the Police arrested the 32-year-old, they found in his possession wallets, credit cards of various banking institutions, European identity cards, keys to other vehicles, etc. The 32-year-old was re-arrested for the self-inflicted crime of illegal possession of property, while he is expected to appear before the Nicosia District Court today, for the purpose of issuing a detention order.
The TAE of Nicosia continues the examinations.
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The Police are investigating a new case of online fraud and theft of a sum of money, through a false job offer advertisement.
According to a complaint submitted today to the Nicosia Police Department, on March 12, the complainant responded to an advertisement for a job in a company, through the social media website. The perpetrators asked him to download on his computer, a specific application that they indicated to him, for the purpose of a video call, so that he could be interviewed.
After being convinced by the perpetrators of the scam, the complainant followed the instructions given to him and installed the application on his computer, only to find out later that, from two of his electronic wallets, cryptocurrencies with a total value of €107.000 had been stolen.
It is being investigated whether, through this application, malware was installed on the complainant's computer, with the use of which the perpetrators managed to extract the cryptocurrencies.
The case is being investigated by the Financial Crime Investigation Unit, of the Nicosia Police Department.
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Two passengers of Russian origin with Cypriot citizenship were found by officials of the Customs Department at Larnaca Airport, carrying duty-free luxury items without declaring them.
The incident occurred on March 21, 2026, when passengers, who had arrived from Switzerland, chose to pass through the green passage ("nothing to declare"). However, after evaluating information, their luggage was brought under control.
During the examination, a luxury watch worth about €40,000 was found in the luggage of the first passenger. Duties and taxes amounting to €7,664.22 were collected for the case, as well as a monetary charge of €766.42, while the passenger proceeded to an out-of-court settlement by paying the amount of €3,070.
In the case of the second passenger, a watch worth approximately €9,400 was found, as well as clothing and ski shoes worth approximately €4,500. The competent authorities proceeded to collect duties and taxes amounting to €3,305.07, as well as a financial charge of €330.51, while an out-of-court settlement of €1,320 was accepted.
The two passengers failed to declare the items, as provided by law, as a result of which the relevant procedures were initiated by the Customs Department.
