Pafos Live 25 June 2026
As part of the ongoing actions of the Anti-Narcotics Service (YKAN) to identify and seize narcotic substances that are being or are attempted to be imported into the Republic of Cyprus, targeted operations were carried out yesterday in the districts of Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca.
During the operations, a total quantity of approximately 20 kilograms and 780 grams of dried poppy pods of the species Papaver somniferum was located and confiscated.
As part of yesterday's operations, five men aged 20, 22, 23, 27 and 28 were arrested. It is noted that one of the arrested, aged 22, was already in custody in connection with another similar case.
From the examinations that followed, it was found that two of the suspects, aged 27 and 28, resided illegally in the territory of the Republic of Cyprus.
It is recalled that, in the context of the operations of YKAN concerning the detection and confiscation of dried poppy pods of the species Long or Sleeping Poppy, a total of more than 52 kilograms of the drug in question have been located and confiscated so far, while a total of ten persons have been arrested.
The operational actions and targeted actions of the Anti-Narcotics Service, to identify and combat the import, trafficking and trafficking of narcotic substances will continue unabated on a nationwide basis.
The arrested are expected to be brought before the courts today for the issuance of detention orders.
The examinations continue by YKAN.
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A 54-year-old man was arrested this morning in Limassol and taken into custody, against whom a European arrest warrant was pending, which was issued by the Greek authorities to serve a prison sentence.
The 54-year-old had been sentenced to five years in prison in Greece, for offenses related to fraud, which were committed during the years 2008 – 2009 in Greece.
He is expected to be brought before the Limassol District Court today to start the extradition process in the applicant country.
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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 police operations, 10 persons were arrested for offenses such as, illegal possession of property, illegal stay, failure to appear in court, assault on a police officer, illegal possession of drugs, carrying knives, etc.
As part of these operations, during the night, 573 drivers and 143 passengers were stopped and checked. At the same time, 37 inspections of premises were carried out, with the aim of dealing with phenomena of delinquency, where six complaints emerged.
During traffic checks carried out, 283 complaints were made, concerning various traffic violations, while three investigated cases of traffic violations also emerged.
Of the complaints made, 93 complaints from drivers for exceeding the speed limit stand out, while as part of the police examinations, 6 vehicles were detained.
91 alcohol tests were carried out, where two complaints emerged, while two drivers were found positive in preliminary drug tests.
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The Police continued the actions to combat the offenses of illegal immigration, and illegal stay on the territory of the Republic, today, with a new large-scale police control operation, carried out by members of the provincial echelon of the Aliens and Immigration Service - YAM, in Nicosia.
The control operation started at 6.00 in the morning yessterday and lasted until noon. A total of 35 persons were checked, while seven persons, nationals of foreign countries, who are illegally in Cyprus, were arrested for the crime of illegal stay in the territory of the Republic.
The detainees were taken into custody, with their repatriation procedures ongoing.
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The Police arrested a fourth suspect, a 35-year-old man, as part of the investigation of the possession case for the purpose of supplying a quantity of cannabis resin, weighing six kilograms and 373 grams, as well as a quantity of synthetic cannabis - a substance known as KIEF, weighing one kilogram, which were located and confiscated by the Anti-Drug Service - YKAN, during a search operation in the farmhouse of a 49-year-old man, in the province of Famagusta, on 20/06/2026.
The 35-year-old was arrested around 1045 before noon today, by virtue of a court warrant and was taken into custody, for the purpose of investigating the drug trafficking case.
For the same case, three persons, men aged 49, 37 and 28, were arrested and are in custody, by virtue of court orders. The 49-year-old and 28-year-old were arrested on 20/06/2026, during the search, pursuant to a court warrant, in the 49-year-old's farmhouse. This was followed on 22/06/2026, by the arrest of the 37-year-old.
YKAN (Famagusta District Echelon) continues the examinations.
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Despite the serious findings of threats to his minor son, an attempt to influence a pending court case and contempt of a court order, the Court of Appeal ruled that the prison sentences imposed on a 72-year-old man by the Paphos District Court were excessive, reducing them due to his advanced age and clean criminal record, while maintaining his conviction in full.
The case concerned a man, who had been convicted by the Paphos District Court for four offenses committed in the context of a family dispute and pending criminal proceedings. According to the findings of the first instance court, the accused threatened his minor son saying "If it wasn't you, I would mess with your mom", while at the same time he tried to influence a court process by asking him why his mother did not withdraw the complaint she had filed against him.
The court of first instance had also found him guilty of contempt of court, as he violated the terms of a decree prohibiting him from harassing his son, as well as of harassing a victim in a way that could affect the trial of a related case of domestic violence. He had, however, been acquitted of three other charges.
In his appeal, the convicted person challenged both the conviction and the prison sentences imposed on him. Among other things, he claimed that the court order relied on by the Prosecution Authority had not been served on him or translated into his mother tongue, Romanian. The Court of Appeal rejected this claim, pointing out that at the time of the issuance of the decree the appellant was present in court and there was an interpreter, while the court of first instance had already rejected the position that he was not aware of its content.
The complaints of incorrect assessment of the testimony of the minor son and the accused's wife were also rejected. The Court of Appeal held that the court of first instance correctly evaluated their testimony and there was no reason to interfere with its findings. At the same time, he rejected the argument that it was necessary to present a psychologist's report to prove the bullying or harassment, noting that such testimony is not required in every case to establish the specific offenses.
The Court of Appeal also rejected the claim that the first instance decision was not sufficiently reasoned, considering that it contained an analysis of the testimony, clear findings and sufficient judicial reasoning.
However, in terms of sentences, the court held that the prison sentences of 15 months for threatening, 12 months for interfering in court proceedings, and 4 months for contempt of court were excessive in the circumstances of the case.
In its decision, it took into account that the appellant is 72 years old and has a clean criminal record, elements that, as he stated, acquire particular importance due to his age. Although it underlined the seriousness of the offences and the need to impose dissuasive penalties, it considered that the specific penalties were not proportionate to the facts of the case.
As a result, the Court of Appeal reduced the prison sentence for threatening from 15 to 12 months, the sentence for interfering in a judicial process from 12 to 10 months, and the sentence for contempt of court from 4 to 2 months. The sentences are still in place, while the decision of the court of first instance not to suspend their service was maintained.
In conclusion, the Court of Appeal rejected all the grounds of appeal related to the conviction and upheld the guilt findings of the Paphos District Court, intervening only as to the amount of the prison sentences, which it considered should be reduced.
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The Court of Appeal suspended the prison sentences imposed on a 50-year-old builder, ruling that the court of first instance did not give due weight to the particular circumstances of the case and the personal data of the convicted.
The man had admitted before the Criminal Court the charges of robbery and conspiracy to commit a felony. For these offenses, he was sentenced to 18 and 9 months in prison respectively, with the court ordering their immediate execution.
The case concerned an incident in which the accused arranged the purchase of a small quantity of drugs worth €60 from the complainant. According to the facts accepted by the court, the appellant went to the meeting point together with another person. After the delivery of the drugs was completed, the passenger snatched the money from the complainant, punched him and then injured him with a knife in the back. The appellant, who was driving the vehicle, got out, realized what had happened and then left the scene with the perpetrator, leaving the victim injured.
In his appeal, the convicted person did not dispute the amount of the sentences, but the decision of the court of first instance not to suspend their execution. He argued that his personal and family circumstances, the clean criminal record, the admission of the offenses, his remorse, his cooperation with the authorities and the passage of six years since the commission of the offenses justified different treatment.
The Court of Appeal noted that the appellant is the father of three children, has been living permanently in Cyprus since 1997, works as a self-employed builder and has health problems, as he had suffered a heart attack in previous years. At the same time, he acknowledged that he did not have a leading or leading role in the robbery, nor was there an organized or pre-planned way of acting on his part.
Although the Court of Appeal underlined that the injury of the victim and the abandonment of the victim helpless are serious aggravating factors, it held that the court of first instance placed excessive emphasis on the need to impose a dissuasive penalty and on the objective seriousness of the offenses, ignoring factors that could justify the suspension of the sentence.
Concluding that there had been an error in the exercise of the discretion of the court of first instance, the Court of Appeal upheld the appeal, annulled the part of the decision concerning the non-suspension of the sentences and ordered the suspension of their execution for a period of three years from the date of the first instance decision.
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Prison sentences of 2,5 and 4,5 years were imposed today (24/6) by the Limassol Permanent Criminal Court on two 28-year-olds, who were found guilty after admitting to offenses related to the possession and trafficking of drugs of 500 grams of cannabis. Two other people were initially charged in the same case. One pleaded not guilty and will be tried in a separate trial and the other was suspended from the charge against him.
According to the facts of the case, on April 15, 2025, a member of the Police located in the area of Episkopi a vehicle in which the 28-year-old Indian (second accused) was riding as a passenger. The latter was seen placing a green bag in a place with dense vegetation. Subsequent investigations led to the location of the bag, in which 500 grams of cannabis were found.
During the interception of the vehicle that the second defendant was later driving, a breaker was found in his possession, while he made a voluntary statement, stating that he placed the quantity of drugs at the specific point on the instructions of a third person.
At the same time, according to the report of the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, the third defendant was scientifically linked to evidence in the case, including the amount of cocaine and the bags containing cannabis. As stated before the Court, the second defendant had arrived in Cyprus on a student residence permit, however, after its expiration he remained illegally in the Republic and worked without a permit for about two years.
In its decision, the Criminal Court underlined the seriousness of the offenses and the need to impose dissuasive penalties, pointing out the increasing trend observed in drug trafficking cases. He noted that the indisputable facts of the case showed that neither of the two defendants was the owner of the quantity of cannabis in question, but acted on the instructions of third parties, but with a different degree of involvement.
For the second defendant, it was judged that his participation was limited, guided and short in time, without further involvement in a drug trafficking ring or use of prohibited substances. The Court also accepted that he was seduced by a person who exercised influence over him.
On the contrary, for the third defendant, it was found that he had an active and substantial role, as he had transferred the quantity of cannabis in question from one person to another, had changed the bags in which it was placed and possessed it for a period of about ten hours. In addition, the discovery of his genetic material in evidence of the case, combined with the possession of cocaine, indicated an increased degree of involvement.
The Criminal Court rejected the third defendant's claim that he acted under pressure due to debts related to his drug addiction.
At the same time, it took into account three more cases of the Limassol District Court concerning the third defendant and related to drug offenses, judging that it emerged that he was repeatedly involved in the possession and supply of narcotic substances to third parties.
For the benefit of both defendants, their personal and family circumstances, their admission and their good conduct in the Central Prison were taken into account. For the second defendant, his cooperation with the prosecuting authorities and his clean criminal record were additionally taken into account. On the contrary, a previous conviction for similar offences was taken into account against the third defendant.
In conclusion, the Criminal Court imposed on the second defendant concurrent prison sentences with a maximum sentence of two and a half years and on the third defendant concurrent prison sentences with a maximum sentence of four and a half years.
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On June 22, 2026, the Disciplinary Board of Doctors of Cyprus issued a decision to impose a sentence of suspension from practicing the medical profession for a period of six years on two doctors.
In today's announcement, the PIS states that doctors Alevtina Kuzitseva Markou and Victoria Kuzitseva Christodoulou were found guilty of demonstrating conduct incompatible with the medical profession.
According to the Disciplinary Board, when submitting applications to the Medical Council of Cyprus for recognition of a specialty title in General Medicine, the two doctors presented that they had completed continuous and uninterrupted four-year postgraduate training at the Gomel State Medical University of Belarus, while they knew that this element did not correspond to reality.
Based on these statements, as stated in the decision, they secured recognition of a specialty which they would not have received if they had correctly cited the actual data.
The Disciplinary Board stressed that this is a particularly serious disciplinary offense, which affects the core of trust in the process of recognition of medical specialties and the prestige of the medical profession, noting that the behaviour of the two doctors does not constitute a simple procedural defect, but a deliberate inaccurate presentation of essential data.
Despite the mitigating circumstances taken into account, including a clean criminal and disciplinary record, as well as their personal and family circumstances, the Council considered that the gravity of the case did not allow for a lighter sentence, it is stated.
The suspension of the practice of the medical profession is valid from 22 June 2026 to 22 June 2032, a period during which the two doctors are not entitled to practise the profession.
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Cy Mail
Operation Guardian, the British bases police summer policing campaign at Lady’s Mile and Curium beaches, has resulted in 12 arrests during its first four weeks, including the arrest of a man allegedly found with drugs and a cache of weapons, police said on Thursday.
The operation, which began on May 30 and runs until the end of August, was launched to increase police visibility and improve safety at the two beaches during the busy summer season.
The latest arrest was made last weekend when officers stopped a 34-year-old Bulgarian national, who told police he was homeless, on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs.
A search of his vehicle uncovered a small quantity of drugs, believed to be for personal use, as well as several prohibited weapons, including pointed kitchen knives, a scythe and a wooden baton.
The man was arrested and remanded in custody until his next court appearance on July 6.
Since the operation began, officers have also reported 20 motorists for traffic offences, issued 60 written cautions for traffic and powerboat violations and referred two people to the Akrotiri area office for operating businesses without the required licence.
The SBA police marine unit has also carried out safety and compliance checks on 113 boats and jet skis.
Lady’s Mile and Curium beaches attract more than 7,000 visitors every weekend during the summer, prompting increased patrols by specialist and frontline officers on land and at sea.
Chief inspector Tony Demetriou said the operation was already delivering results.
“Operation Guardian has commenced very positively and is already demonstrating a positive impact,” he said.
“Our proactive approach has contributed to maintaining safety across the beaches, while also providing visible reassurance to the large number of visitors, as evidenced by the results achieved to date.”
Operation Guardian focuses on preventing crime and anti-social behaviour, improving road safety, tackling illegal watersports activities and ensuring compliance with maritime and environmental legislation.
The SBA Police has urged members of the public to report suspicious activity, secure their vehicles and follow safety advice when driving or operating boats and personal watercraft during the summer months.
