Pafos Live 28 May 2026
The police investigations into the bomb explosion that occurred at dawn, outside a butcher's shop, in the area of the CUT school in Paphos, have not resulted in a specific direction, so far. The owners of the store have reported that they did not have significant differences with some, with investigators looking for the edge of the case.
The explosion was so powerful that it was noticed not only by neighbours but also by residents in other areas of Paphos. From the examinations of the pyrotechnicians, it was found that it was due to the placement of an improvised explosive device near the façade of the butcher shop containing a low-power explosive.
The property suffered extensive damage, while damage was also caused to a second adjacent property and to buildings located on the opposite side of the road. The police have testimony that seconds before the explosion, a large motorcycle was moving from the area at breakneck speed. Images from closed circuits in the area and other evidence found at the scene are also being evaluated with the aim of identifying and arresting the perpetrators.
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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, eight persons were arrested, for various offenses including illegal stay in the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, illegal possession and transport of an offensive weapon, assault causing actual bodily harm and illegal possession of drugs.
During the night, 307 vehicles were stopped for inspection and 422 drivers and passengers were checked. At the same time, 31 inspections of premises were carried out, from which 7 complaints emerged.
During traffic checks carried out, 196 complaints were made for various traffic violations, of which 82 concern speeding. A total of 86 alcohol tests were carried out during which six drivers were found positive. Three preliminary drug tests were also carried out during which two drivers were found positive. Also, as part of the police examinations, 2 vehicles were detained.
Policing operations, for the prevention and suppression of crime, continue every day, with an enhanced police presence, targeted controls and immediate operational action, in order to protect citizens and ensure public order.
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A major operation by the Aliens and Immigration Service (YAM) in Larnaca yesterday to locate foreigners residing illegally on the territory of the Republic took an incredible and shocking turn. Three foreigners of an African woman who were in the Filanda apartment building, in their attempt to escape, fell, under circumstances that are being investigated, into the void, as a result of which they were injured, with the condition of one being characterized as critical.
The health condition of the other two persons, aged 28 and 38, is judged by the doctors to be serious but out of danger.
The first foreigner tried to jump into an uncovered area from the 4th floor, according to the first information, as a result of which he was seriously hit on the head. An ambulance rushed to the scene and transported him to the Larnaca hospital. A little later it was found that two other persons fell from a height and were injured in another uncovered area, located at the back of the building.
An alarm was immediately sounded and two more ambulances rushed to the scene, as well as a special platform of the Fire Service. Filenews recorded frame by frame the rescue operations of the two foreigners, who were also transported by ambulance to the Larnaca Hospital.
Members of the Larnaca police rushed to the spot, cordoned off all five blocks of the apartment building and started investigations. A foreign resident of the apartment building who rents an apartment in one of the blocks of an apartment building, told us that for a long time there have been uninhabited apartments, in at least one building in Filanta, which had been occupied. This is the building from which the three foreigners fell.
A Palestinian who legally resides in the area, moreover, said that "I saw several police patrols rushing to the area around 9:30 in the morning", noting that they started searching the apartments. "Then some fell, we don't know how they were taken to the hospital," he said.
The case of the Filanta apartment building, which is a block of five buildings, has also concerned the EOA Larnaca, since these are buildings that at first glance are characterized as dangerous. For many years, issues of the safety of the building, as well as the hygiene of the space, have been raised, with the owners of the apartments having been warned numerous times in the past to take measures.
The operation of YAM covered areas throughout Larnaca with the aim of locating foreigners residing illegally in Cyprus. Information from police sources states that 19 arrests of foreigners resulted from the operation.
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The Police arrested two persons, aged 23 and 24, today, to facilitate investigations, regarding an investigated case of illegal possession of drugs.
Specifically, this morning, members of YKAN carried out a search by virtue of a court warrant in the basement of a house where the 23-year-old lives.
During the investigation, a quantity of dry cannabis plant matter, with a gross weight of 965 grams and two precision scales, was found. The investigation was carried out in the presence of the above persons.
The two young men were arrested for flagrante delicto offenses and when questioned orally, they gave some allegations which are being investigated.
The two arrested were taken into custody and tomorrow morning they are expected to be brought before the Nicosia District Court, for the procedure for issuing detention orders.
YKAN is investigating the case.
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For another six days, the detention order of two persons aged 22 and 19 for a case of locating drugs and weapons in Nicosia was renewed on Wednesday.
The two were arrested on May 20.
An arrest warrant was pending against the 22-year-old, in relation to an ongoing case involving the detection of narcotic substances (a quantity of cannabis and cannabis resin weighing 230 grams and 40 tablets of ecstasy).
In a search of his home, as well as that of a 19-year-old, a quantity of cannabis weighing about 10 grams, 12 ecstasy tablets, a pistol, two magazines, 15 cartridges of various calibres, 100 tablets containing anabolic substances and two mobile phones were found and confiscated.
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A new attack took place against a food distributor in Nicosia.
According to information from the Police, the case of assault and robbery against the food distributor was committed yesterday, in the afternoon, in Nicosia.
Specifically, it was reported by a 29-year-old man that, around 6:00 p.m. yesterday, he went to a specific street in Nicosia to deliver an order. According to him, upon his arrival on the street in question, he was approached by two people, who were wearing hoods.
The perpetrators allegedly attacked him and after beating him, they stole his mobile phone, motorcycle, as well as his purse, which contained a sum of money. The two persons then fled in an unknown direction.
The TAE of Nicosia continues the examinations.
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The Police arrested a second person as part of an investigation into a case involving the theft of bronzes, relief figures and inscriptions from a monument, committed between the dates 19-21/03/2026 in Limassol.
Specifically, on 21/03/2026, an official of the Municipality of Germasogeia reported to the Police that during the previous days a number of bronze relief figures and inscriptions adorning the monument of heroes of the area were stolen.
As part of the investigation of the case, on 25/3/2026, after information, a 35-year-old man was found in Limassol, who was in possession of one of the relief figures. The 35-year-old was arrested, charged in writing and a case is pending against him at the Limassol District Court.
During the investigations, testimony emerged against a second 42-year-old person, who was arrested yesterday afternoon to facilitate investigations. He is expected to appear today before the Limassol District Court for registration of the case against him.
The TAE Limassol continues the exams
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New data drastically overturn the case concerning the complaint of sexual abuse of a minor in Limassol, who a few months ago gave birth to a healthy baby, claiming that her pregnancy came from rape. A young man of Syrian origin was arrested for the case, who initially presented himself as a 19-year-old. However, through his lawyer, he claimed that he is a minor, aged 17, presenting relevant certificates with date of birth and stamps of competent state services. The case was subsequently registered with the Three-Member Children's Court in Limassol.
During today's proceedings (27/5) before the Children's Court, the Prosecuting Authority finally suspended the criminal prosecution against the 17-year-old. According to information from our website, the young woman was called again to the Police a few days ago, where she allegedly stated that she had lied about the young man and the rape, now claiming that he is not the father of the child.
The fact that the 17-year-old is not the father of the infant was also scientifically confirmed by a DNA sample taken from him. The examinations and investigations of the authorities continue in the direction of locating the father.
It is noted that the 17-year-old faced seven charges, including sexual abuse of a minor and rape, while according to the witness material, he seems to have been in a relationship with the complainant. He, however, from the beginning denied all the accusations and claimed that he neither raped her nor is he the father of the child.
It is recalled that on November 5, 2025, the young woman was taken to the Limassol hospital in severe pain. During the First Aid examination, it was found that she was 34 weeks pregnant. The doctors immediately proceeded with the delivery and informed the Police, with the authorities immediately starting investigations into the case. According to the same information, the infant has already been given up for adoption.
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Cyprus continues to face the consequences of the martyred Cyprus Investment Programme. This report is made on the occasion of the case of the businessman from Bangladesh, Mohammed Saiful Alam.
The latter, according to reports in his country of origin, holds a Cypriot passport, while in the previous 7 days he began to accept the consequences of the Law for past cases.
Last Thursday, he was sentenced to five months in prison by a Bangladeshi Court, while a day earlier the Republic's Anti-Cover-Up Unit, acting on the basis of a request from the Asian country, which is conducting a criminal investigation against him, requested the freezing of the businessman's two-storey residence in Parekklisia. This request was approved by the District Court of Nicosia on 19/5, when a relevant order of reservation of the property was issued.
However, the confusion about Alam does not end here, since according to the governor of the Central Bank of Bangladesh, he is the subject of investigation as the "mastermind" for a case of money laundering totalling more than €8 billion. In fact, the authorities of the Asian country believe that the alleged large-scale laundering was also carried out through Cyprus.
What was requested from Cyprus
In their request to the Attorney General and MOKAS, the Bangladesh authorities state that Alam is being investigated by a team of investigators with the participation of three agencies including the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Police Criminal Investigation Department.
The allegations against him, according to what the Asians stated in their request, have to do with bank forgery, illegal accumulation of assets and money laundering allegedly done by Alam as chairman and CEO of S. ALAM Group and former chairman of First Security Islami Bank Bangladesh, along with his associates. The period of the offenses under investigation is placed between 2009 and 2024.
Those involved in the case allegedly had significant proceeds of criminal activities through extensive bank loan irregularities and have subsequently laundered the funds outside Bangladesh. These illicit funds were allegedly used to acquire real estate in countries such as Cyprus and Singapore.
Bangladeshi investigators believe that the funds illegally obtained by Alam were laundered and transferred abroad, mainly through hidden offshore channels and methods that leave no trace in the banking system.
Further information from the Bangladesh authorities states that the suspect secured large bank loans under various names and front-end companies from Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd., First Security Islami Bank Ltd. and other financial institutions, many of which are directly or indirectly controlled by the S. Alam Group. A significant part of these loans have since become non-performing (default), contributing to a severe liquidity crisis in the affected banks.
The conviction
Alam, according to a report in the country's newspaper The Daily Star (21/5), has been sentenced along with 10 other individuals and legal persons to five months in prison, including his relatives, for a loan (2024) of about €6 million. granted to a subsidiary of the Alam Group by Islami Bank. The amount was intended for the acquisition of 134 buses, which were never purchased.
The other major Bangladeshi newspaper, Prothom Alo, wrote in a recent report (18/5) that Alam recently made a request to renounce his Bangladeshi citizenship. This was attributed to his attempt to escape criminal liability. In the same publication, it is stated that Mohammad Saiful Alam has acquired Cypriot citizenship, but also Singapore citizenship. It should be noted that in the conclusion of the Nikolatou committee there is no reference to him.
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The Paphos Criminal Court yesterday sentenced a 29-year-old man to four years in prison, after hearing cases of three shoplifting, theft and arson of a vehicle, committed in January, 2025, in Paphos.
The case was investigated by the Paphos Police Department.
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A 33-year-old man was arrested today on the basis of a court warrant pending against him to facilitate investigations into an investigated case of locating a quantity of narcotic substances.
The 33-year-old was taken into custody and tomorrow morning he is expected to be brought before the Nicosia District Court, for the procedure for issuing a detention order.
It is recalled that a 31-year-old man was also arrested for the same case. The arrest of the 31-year-old was preceded by a search of his vehicle and residence in the Nicosia District, during which the following were located and confiscated:
- Quantity of dry plant matter with a gross weight of approximately 135 grams
- A transparent film containing six ECSTASY pills and about three grams of cocaine
- Three crushers with traces of cannabis
- A precision scale with traces of cannabis
- An e-cigarette with cannabis
- Amount of money as well as other items
The Permanent Criminal Court of Famagusta today imposed a seven-year prison sentence on a 37-year-old man, who was found guilty, after a hearing, of attempted rape, two counts of sexual abuse and one count of coercion to acts of a sexual nature.
The offenses were committed against a 33-year-old tourist on April 29, 2024 in Ayia Napa.
According to the facts of the case, the 37-year-old and the 33-year-old arrived in Cyprus from a European Union country, as friends and were staying in the same hotel room in Ayia Napa.
However, despite the fact that the 33-year-old made it clear that she did not consent to any sexual contact, the 37-year-old committed acts of violence and sexual abuse against her, while he tried to rape her without success, after the girl resisted.
In its decision, the Criminal Court referred to the seriousness of offenses of a sexual nature, the increasing tendency to commit similar offenses, as well as the fact that these are offenses of violence against women.
He sentenced the 37-year-old to 7 years in prison on the charges of sexual abuse and 4 years on the charges of attempted rape and coercion to acts of a sexual nature, with both sentences concurrent.
