Filenews 29 April 2026
A quantity of cannabis, weighing about three kilograms, was located and confiscated as part of actions carried out to detect narcotic substances imported into Cyprus.
Specifically, it is a package that arrived in Cyprus through the airport and contained cannabis with a total weight of 2 kilograms and 900 grams.
The package was detected during checks systematically carried out by the Anti-Narcotics Service (YKAN), in cooperation with the Customs Authorities, as part of the efforts to detect and combat the import of narcotic substances into our country.
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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, four persons were arrested.
During the night, 643 vehicles were stopped for inspection and 810 drivers and passengers were checked. At the same time, 39 inspections of premises were carried out, from which eight complaints emerged.
During traffic checks carried out, 322 complaints were made for various traffic violations, of which 89 concern speeding. A total of 76 alcohol checks were carried out without a positive result. Also, as part of the police examinations, six 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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Around 7:20 yesterday morning, the Police were informed by a private hospital in Nicosia, that a little earlier a 44-year-old man had been transported, who had stab wounds.
According to what the 44-year-old reported to members of the Police, around 06:40 in the morning, an unknown man, who was wandering outside his kiosk on Prodromou Avenue, after a confrontation they had, attacked him with a knife, injuring him in the abdomen and right forearm.
The 44-year-old was first taken to a private hospital and then to Nicosia General Hospital, where he was detained for treatment.
The Strovolos Police Station continues the examinations.
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The "police" arrested 14 people yesterday, Tuesday, after a shooting incident in an industrial area of occupied Famagusta, while another person is being sought.
A statement from the "police", reproduced in Turkish Cypriot electronic media, states that the incident unfolded around 22:30 on Tuesday night, when a verbal confrontation in front of an engineering crew led to a fight between three people. Subsequently, another person allegedly opened fire indiscriminately with a pistol he possessed "illegally" against gathered people, including a relative.
No injuries were caused by the shooting, but material damage was caused to a vehicle, it added. During the subsequent search of the workshop, four 9mm calibre pistol cartridges were found and received as evidence.
The alleged perpetrator of the shooting is being sought, while the other persons involved have been put under "arrest".
In another development, in occupied Nicosia, after an investigation by the "drug prosecution and crime prevention departments" on a person and his home, about 12 grams of a substance estimated to be cannabis, as well as six pharmaceutical tablets subject to prescription restrictions, were found. The suspect was "arrested" and the "investigations" continue for both cases.
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Concurrent sentences, with the longest being 18 years, were imposed in one of the most horrific and criminal cases of sexual abuse of a minor girl ever committed in the Republic of Cyprus and came to justice. This is the case with a 51-year-old defendant from Greece, who was accused of sexually abusing his stepdaughter, from the age of 12 until she reached adulthood.
The defendant in the case, which was brought to light by Filenews on April 30, 2025, faced dozens of charges related to sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of a child, as well as common assault and threat. These are offenses which, according to the victim's complaint, were committed from 2007 to 2016 - when the victim reached adulthood - as well as from April 2025 until the day she filed a complaint with the authorities.
In addition to the sentence of 18 years, the Limassol Criminal Court issued a supervision order against the accused by the Supervisory Authority for a period of 6 years from the day of his release.
Initially, the accused denied the charges against him, however, at a later stage of the proceedings, he changed his mind and decided to admit. The decision of the Criminal Court points out the seriousness of the offenses, as well as the increase they have shown in recent years. As well as the fact of the revulsion of the accused's actions.
As we wrote in a previous article, the victim's nightmare began at a very tender age. Instead of playing with dolls and toys, she had allegedly become a pawn of her stepfather's sick appetites. Behind the closed doors of their residence, a horrific crime was hidden for almost two decades.
The young woman, after coming of age, formed a relationship. However, she did not talk to anyone about what she was experiencing for years from the man who raised her as a father but in the end, abused her. What the accused allegedly committed was not enough, he also had the audacity to ask the victim to install a camera in her bedroom, so that the personal moments she had with her partner could be recorded and watched from his mobile phone.
A few days before the victim made a complaint, she got into a confrontation with the 51-year-old, who, as she claimed, was in a state of intoxication. At some point, the 51-year-old pushed her and she fell to the ground. It was then that the truth was revealed, after the victim unlocked and spoke about all the nightmarish and criminal things she was experiencing.
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The recommendations of the two criminal investigators appointed to investigate complaints of excessive violence by police officers during a protest against Gaza outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs last October are different.
The incidents took place on the night of Thursday, October 2, outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during a protest by citizens, with the Independent Authority for the Investigation of Allegations and Complaints against the Police (AADIPA), appointing two criminal investigators to examine complaints from bystanders that members of the Police used excessive force.
The investigation focused on both any excess of duty by members of the Police and the possible use of excessive force.
Protesters had complained at the time that they were unjustly attacked by the Police, talking about the use of pepper spray and violence without provocation. The Police, for their part, claimed that they reacted to prevent escalation and ensure public safety, talking about the use of similar force.
As the Police had reported at the time, no one took responsibility for the event, which made it difficult to coordinate and maintain public order. Despite the actions to identify the organizer in order to reach an understanding, no one claimed responsibility. In fact, at some point the police security officer had given a deadline to the protesters to get on the sidewalk and continue, but without being heard, which is why the police officers were instructed to intervene so that the road could be opened to traffic.
Information from filenews states that the conclusion of the two criminal investigators was recently handed over to AADIPA for study and submission of a recommendation to the Attorney General. According to our same information, the two investigators are divided as to the final outcome. One recommends the criminal prosecution of an officer who was in charge of the police force and the other, concludes that no criminal offenses arise for anyone, since the Police had implemented the announcement for the dissolution of the event.
The final word will be given to the Authority after studying the testimonies and suggestions plus what the supervising officer will say and the case file will be forwarded to the Legal Service for study and decision. It is noted that during the investigation of the case, new complaints also emerged from citizens present who handed over videos taken during the incidents.
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Today's hearing before the Permanent Criminal Court of Limassol, which was scheduled to answer the charges in relation to the murder of Stavros Demosthenous, has been postponed.
As reported to the Court, the first defendant did not appear before the Criminal Court today, as he has undergone surgery. A relevant medical certificate was presented and handed over to the Court by the representative of the Prosecuting Authority.
In relation to the other defendants, their lawyers said that they are not ready to respond to the charges today, asking for time from the Court.
For his part, the lawyer of the 31-year-old accused, Victor Akamas, stated that a request has been submitted on behalf of the fourth defendant to provide more details in relation to the charges he is facing.
He noted that part of the martyrdom material has recently been handed over and not in its entirety. He also pointed out that from the part of the witness material that has been delivered, there is no evidence of the participation or involvement of the fourth defendant in the case.
For his part, lawyer Alexandros Alexandrou stated that the charges are common and no details are specified, so that each accused can defend himself. "We are asking for better details," he said.
Regarding the sixth defendant, his lawyer, Giorgos Loizou, stated that it is not possible to distinguish what the role of each defendant is. He also noted that additional witness material was sent to the lawyer Mr. Alexandrou nine days ago, which is voluminous.
Mr. Alexandrou took the floor stating that: "They handed me two 16TB hard drives with material, which will take six months to study. DNA and camera-related material was also delivered. It would be wise to have a list for this material. In addition, we asked the person in charge of the investigative team for information about the witness material and he told me that the 10% is still missing."
The Criminal Court rescheduled the case for a response to the charges by all the defendants on May 27. Mr. Alexandrou, the lawyer of the 5th defendant, objected to his client's detention time. He stated that despite the existence of the appellate decision, which they intend to challenge at another level, there is a long delay in the case, stressing that six months have already passed and the process is still at ground zero, with the responsibility, as he claimed, of the Prosecuting Authority.
The Criminal Court reserved its decision and is expected to announce it in half an hour.
The crime was committed on October 17, 2025, with six persons accused: two 30-year-olds, a 31-year-old, a 51-year-old and two 28-year-olds.
It is recalled that the six defendants face offenses such as premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit a felony, conspiracy to murder, arson, illegal possession, transportation and use of a firearm, as well as illegal possession, transportation and use of explosives, theft of a vehicle, participation in a criminal organization and theft (only for the 51-year-old accused).
The list of witnesses includes more than 125 persons.
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The Paphos District Court today sentenced a 40-year-old man to a four-year prison sentence, after finding him guilty in a drug case.
It is recalled that the case was recorded on 12/08/2025, when as part of an operational action by YKAN for the detection and seizure of narcotic substances, members of the Service stopped a car driven by the 40-year-old around 20:45 in the evening in Paphos.
A subsequent search of the vehicle found a quantity of cannabis with a total weight of about one kilogram and 194 grams, a small amount of money, as well as a half-smoked cigarette containing cannabis.
The 40-year-old was arrested for a self-inflicted crime and taken into custody, while YKAN (Paphos Unit) continued the examination of the case, which ended with his conviction by the Court.
