Filenews 18 May 2026
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, ten persons were arrested, for various offenses including illegal possession of drugs, robbery, carrying knives, traffic offenses and illegal stay on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus.
During the night, 580 vehicles were stopped for inspection and 744 drivers and passengers were checked. At the same time, 48 inspections of premises were carried out, from which 3 complaints emerged.
During traffic checks carried out, 446 complaints were made about various traffic violations, of which 212 concern speeding. A total of 133 alcohol tests were carried out during which two drivers were found positive. Also, as part of the police examinations, 19 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.
A person wanted by the Police was located and arrested to facilitate investigations into serious offenses committed in the province of Nicosia.
According to the Police, the person in question was taken into custody.
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In the context of a pan-Cypriot operation carried out today by members of the Aliens and Immigration Service, 29 third-country nationals, who were illegally residing in the territory of the Republic, were arrested.
It is pointed out that from 01/01/2026 until today, 3,115 foreigners who resided illegally in Cyprus have been repatriated through voluntary and forced return procedures, while illegal arrivals of third-country nationals have been limited to 576, compared to the same year last year, which corresponded to 730.
The Police continues to focus its efforts on maximizing the number of repatriations of third-country nationals residing illegally in the Republic of Cyprus, in coordination with other competent Services.
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The Police arrested two persons, as part of the investigation of a case of conspiracy to commit a felony, conspiracy to murder, and written threats to kill.
The case was reported to the Paphos Police Department on Saturday. For the purpose of police examinations, arrest warrants were issued against the two suspects, a 30-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman.
The 30-year-old was located and arrested in the early hours of yesterday morning, by members of the Paphos Police Department, while he was then brought before the Paphos District Court, which approved a request from the Police and issued a five-day detention order.
Yesterday, the 27-year-old was also located and arrested by members of the Police in Paphos. She was taken into custody, while she is expected to appear before a Court today, for the purpose of issuing a detention order.
The Paphos Police Department is investigating the case.
Update - The two people arrested yesterday by the Police for an investigated case of conspiracy to commit a felony, conspiracy to murder, and written threats to murder, seem to have exchanged messages with each other via mobile phone and the internet about how to kill a man who was in a relationship with the woman allegedly involved in the case.
From the ongoing examinations of the Paphos Police Department, it appears that the 27-year-old was sending messages to the 30-year-old, regarding the method of how they would 'take out' the man with whom she was in a relationship and with whom they broke up episodically.
The exchange of these messages, however, based on the police examinations, was noticed by the prospective victim of the conspiracy himself, since during his relationship with the 27-year-old they kept a common phone card, while he also had access to her social media which was still valid despite their separation.
When the complainant became aware of the messages exchanged between the two suspects, he reported the case to the Police on Saturday. Court arrest warrants were immediately issued against a 30-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman.
The 30-year-old allegedly claims, as reported, that he exchanged messages with the 27-year-old simply accepting what she wrote to him in order to approach her and not to take any action against the man she was accusing.
A 4-day detention order was issued against the 27-year-old by the Court.
The examinations continue.
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As part of the investigation of a robbery case committed on 9/05/2026 in Nicosia, the Police proceeded to arrest a 2nd person aged 21, to facilitate investigations.
For the same case, a 32-year-old man is in custody, who was arrested on 13/05/2026. The next day, 14/05/2026, he appeared before the Nicosia District Court which issued an eight-day detention order.
Against the 32-year-old, testimony emerged about another robbery case, which was committed on 25/07/2025 in Nicosia. The 32-year-old was re-arrested under a court warrant and questioned in writing. For the same case, another 20-year-old person was arrested yesterday, who was taken into custody.
The TAE of Nicosia continues the examinations.
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The Customs Department proceeded to locate and confiscate duty-free tobacco products in the bag and on the body of a pedestrian at the Ledra Street crossing point.
According to an announcement by the Department, today, Sunday, officials of the Customs Department, as part of the usual checks they carry out for the implementation of the Green Line Regulation at the Ledra Street crossing point, proceeded to check a woman, who has occupied the Department dozens of times with cases of tobacco products from the occupied areas.
During the check that was carried out, both in her personal bag and from the body search that followed, it was found that she was again carrying tobacco products, the packaging of which did not bear the necessary markings for the harmfulness of smoking in the Greek and Turkish languages, an indication that they were duty-free.
Specifically, 5 boxes of 200 cigarettes each and packages of tobacco for rolled cigarettes with a total weight of 2 kilograms and 750 grams were counted and confiscated. The officials of the Customs Department proceeded to remove and confiscate the above quantity as well as to confiscate the vehicle.
The person involved was arrested for flagrante delicto, while she was later released, after her request for an out-of-court settlement of the offenses related to tobacco products was accepted with the payment of an amount of €1.270.
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Through an announcement, the Municipality of Larnaca informed the public that a fake Facebook account has been created, which illegally uses the name and photo of the mayor Andreas Vyras. Through this account, unknown persons attempt to contact citizens pretending to be the Mayor, asking for sums of money and/or personal information.
"The Municipality calls on the public to be especially careful, not to respond to such messages or requests and not to share personal data or banking information. At the same time, the public is urged to report and block such fake accounts," a statement said.
The mayor of Larnaca, as he told Filenews, has already filed a complaint with the Cybercrime Department of the Police and calls on citizens to be especially careful and report to Facebook. The message is in English, which indicates that the fraud may have been set up from abroad. The message that the mayor of Larnaca is supposed to send presents him as an intermediary, on behalf of the government, of the establishment of a national solidarity fund to finance orphanages. Fraudsters demand at least €200 from citizens promising tax benefits.
The message sent to the citizens is as it is (translation follows)
Under my supervision, the government is establishing a national solidarity fund to finance orphanages in several cantons. Any donation of at least €200 qualifies for an exceptional tax benefit, with one-third of the donor’s annual income tax being covered. The funds raised will be used exclusively for the essential needs of the selected orphanages, ensuring a real and lasting impact. Those wishing to participate are invited to send their contact information, preferably via WhatsApp, so that the organization’s accountant can assist them with the administrative procedures. Together, let’s work to offer a better future for children.
Translation
Under my supervision, the government is setting up a national solidarity fund to finance orphanages in various cantons. Each donation of at least €200 is eligible for an exceptional tax benefit, with one-third of the donor's annual income tax covered. The money raised will be used exclusively for the basic needs of the selected orphanages, ensuring a real and lasting impact. Those who wish to participate are asked to send their contact details, preferably via WhatsApp, so that the organization's accountant can help them with the administrative procedures. Together, let's work to provide a better future for children
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Four more mobile phones and a small amount of drugs were found in searches carried out today in the early hours of the morning in a wing of the Central Prison.
Specifically, in Ward 8A, after searches by prison staff members, four mobile phones and a small amount of drugs were found in various prisoner cells. All the found items were received and will be given to the Police for forensic examination to show who the prisoners were communicating with.
The drugs were handed over to YKAN for examinations, while the prisons are conducting investigations to show how the mobile phones and substances entered the closed prison. It is noted that in another wing, police searches were carried out in the early hours of the morning to locate mobile phones, without, however, according to our information, anything being found.
The introduction of mobile phones and drugs in prisons is the number 1 problem faced by the management due to the high demand from prisoners who seek contacts with their associates outside prisons. That is why the purchase of a mobile phone by prisoners through other prisoners costs thousands of euros.
Despite the installation and operation of a system for recognizing the signal emitted by a mobile phone in the Central Prisons, however, the import of mobile phones continues due to the demand mainly from criminal elements. Also, since last December, the import and possession of mobile phones in prisons by prisoners, visitors and members of prison staff has been criminalized.
At the same time, a drone tracking system has recently been installed so that in case an attempt is made to throw either mobile phones or drugs or anything else into the prison area, they can be located and the machine can be immobilized. Recently, a package of tissues containing four mobile phones and drugs which was thrown by drones was located by prison guards and confiscated, while a suspect was also arrested, due to the stigma emitted by the unmanned vehicle.
