Pafos Live 22 June 2026
A new quantity of opiate drugs with a total gross weight of ten kilograms was detected yesterday in Nicosia, after collecting and evaluating data.
Specifically, members of YKAN conducted a search yesterday at the home of a 35-year-old man in Nicosia where 54 airtight packages were found, which contained a number of dried poppy pods of the fungus or 'sleepy' plant, with a total gross weight of ten kilograms. The 35-year-old was arrested for a flagrante delicto.
Subsequently and after further investigation, two more nylon bags were found which contained a number of dried poppy pods of the fungal or 'sleepy' plant, with a gross total weight of 100 grams, as well as a quantity of beige powder with a total gross weight of 15 grams.
It was also found that the 35-year-old has been illegally residing in the territory of the Republic of Cyprus since April, 2022.
The arrested person is expected to appear before the Nicosia District Court this morning for the procedure for issuing a detention order.
YKAN continues the examinations.
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A quantity of opiate drugs with a total gross weight of two kilograms and 100 grams was found yesterday in Limassol, following a relevant operation by YKAN.
Specifically, in the context of collecting and evaluating data, members of YKAN identified a specific 23-year-old person, who was moving on foot yesterday afternoon on a street in Limassol.
In a search carried out in the bag in his possession, two nylon packages were found which contained a number of dried poppy pods of the Mykonos or 'Sleeping' plant, with a total gross weight of 418 grams. The 23-year-old was arrested for a flagrante delicto.
A search followed at the residence of the 23-year-old arrested in Limassol, where a second 21-year-old person was found inside. During the investigation, a cardboard box was found, in which there were eight nylon packages containing a number of dried poppy pods of the Mykonos or 'Sleeping' plant, with a total gross weight of one kilogram and 682 grams, resulting in the arrest of the 21-year-old for a flagrante delicto. Various other objects were also found inside the house which were received and kept as evidence.
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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, fifteen persons were arrested, for various offenses, including illegal stay on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, burglary and theft as well as traffic offences. During the night, 538 vehicles were stopped for inspection and 713 drivers and passengers were checked. At the same time, 37 inspections of premises were carried out, from which 3 complaints emerged.
During traffic checks carried out, 341 complaints were made about various traffic violations, of which 125 concern driving at excessive speed. A total of 110 alcohol tests were carried out during which 3 drivers were found positive. Two drug tests were also carried out with a positive indication. Also, as part of the police examinations, 18 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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The 22-year-old from Bangladesh, who allegedly confessed to the murder of his 22-year-old compatriot Shahruar Ahmed Emon, will be brought before the Larnaca District Court for the purpose of issuing a detention order. A brutal murder with shocking details and the victim was a student, who arrived in our country a few months ago to study at a private university in Larnaca.
The 22-year-old had been missing since 6:30 in the afternoon of June 11. He had told his roommates that he would go to Kofinou to work and since then his traces have been lost. His relatives had reported his kidnapping on the same day, stating that a person contacted his father and demanded a ransom, while a message with a specific location had been sent to a friend of the young man's mobile phone.
The confession of the 22-year-old alleged perpetrator, however, turned everything upside down, since he said that he drove the student from Oroklini, where he lived, to Kofinou and murdered him in the evening of the same day, stabbing him in the neck and back. He then covered his body with grass, took his mobile phone and sent the messages received by his relatives, asking for a ransom.
In his testimony, the arrested man allegedly said that he met the unfortunate student on a bus five days earlier and that the 22-year-old said something that offended him. That is why he offered him a job, with the aim, as it is believed, of putting in place a plan to assassinate him.
The suspect led the investigators of the TAE Larnaca yesterday afternoon to the place where he buried the 22-year-old, located about 500 meters from the Migrant Accommodation Center in Kofinou. He also indicated the murder weapon, as well as the place where he hid the victim's personal belongings. The body of the 22-year-old student was found in advanced decay, while in addition to the stab wounds, it also bears, according to information, signs of strangulation. At first glance, the motive is estimated to be financial, as the head of TAE Larnaca, Giorgos Charalambous, stated yesterday.
Under the microscope, meanwhile, are messages posted on the internet that are allegedly related to the complaint about the kidnapping of the 22-year-old. In them, some people are said to be asking for a ransom from a person asking him to give €10.000 on Sunday and €25.000 on Monday. The Police are examining the authenticity of the specific messages.
Update - The 22-year-old from Bangladesh, who allegedly confessed to the brutal murder of his 22-year-old compatriot Shahruar Ahmed Emon, was placed in eight-day detention by the Larnaca District Court.
The suspect faces serious offenses of premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit a felony, abduction or kidnapping or deprivation of liberty with the intention of subjecting a person to grievous harm, extortion, claiming property with threats and illegal stay in the territory of the Republic. His relatives had reported his kidnapping on the same day, stating that a person contacted his father and demanded a ransom, while a message with a specific location had been sent to a friend from the young man's mobile phone.
Specifically, as stated in the detention order, at 22:38 a text message was received on the father's mobile phone in Bengali which reads "Please save me, otherwise they will kill me". Afterwards, they had a short telephone conversation in Hindi. At the end of a few minutes, the father received text messages again stating "if you want to save your son, you will have to pay the sum of €35.000 by Sunday. If you can't give them to me, you won't see your son again, I'll take out his kidney and sell him." Then, a message was sent in which the father asked for proof that his son was alive. Then it was found that his son's mobile phone was out of order. After that, the Police located the last location of his phone in Kofinou, while they found that the sim card of the murdered person's calling number was placed on the suspect's mobile phone. As the suspect was found, he was in the voluntary repatriation program through the Aliens and Immigration Service and it was arranged on 16/06/2026 to return to his country. However, he did not show up on the flight.
On June 20, an arrest warrant was obtained against the suspect, who was arrested the next day in Larnaca. During the investigation, two mobile phones were found in his possession, for which he stated that the first is his and admitted that the second belongs to the student. A second person was arrested for the case, without anything coming out against him. The suspect then pointed out the place where the victim is in the Kofinos area. In his testimony, he stated that he met the victim on June 7 while they were both passengers on a bus. During a conversation they had, according to the confession, the victim asked the suspect if he could help him find a job and they exchanged phone numbers. At the same time, the suspect allegedly asked the victim to provide him with a wifi hotspot, with the victim refusing and then verbally insulting him, as he said, telling him "no you are poor, you came from the occupied territories".
The suspect also reportedly reported that on June 9 he went to a supermarket and bought a knife, which he would use to kill the victim. On June 11, he contacted, as he said, the victim pretending that he had a job for which he would be paid €50 a day. On the same day in the evening, the victim went to the Kofinos area to meet the suspect, where after walking on foot to the Kofinos Slaughterhouse, the suspect, according to his confession, used the knife he bought, attacked and stabbed the victim several times. Then, according to his confession, he carried him, pulling him to the place where the victim was found and because he was still alive using clothing, he strangled him.
The suspect then covered the victim with straw so that he would not be detected and then took his backpack and threw it to the left of the road. He then pointed out the place where the knife flew, as well as the bloody jacket he was wearing. As he said, he then picked up the mobile phone and went to the place where he lived and asked for money from the victim's father. During the forensic investigation, the suspect's personal belongings were found in the possession of the victim, i.e. two boarding passes as well as a credit card.
It is noted that the suspect's lawyer, Evangelia Lazaridou, did not object to his detention.
The Police are investigating a case of internet fraud, extortion of property with false representations and money laundering.
According to a complaint submitted to the Police, on June 17, 2026, the complainant received a phone call on her mobile phone from an unknown person, who told her that suspicious activities had been detected in her bank account.
The unknown person instructed the complainant to instal a specific application on her mobile phone, through which the unknown person could be able to monitor the actions carried out by the complainant on her device.
After following the instructions given to her, the complainant installed a second application through which, always at the suggestion of the unknown person, she transferred a sum of money to an unknown recipient, which she did. Also, through her account, she received a request to transfer another amount of money to an account of the application she installed on her mobile phone, which she also did. The complainant later found out that she had been the victim of online fraud. The total amount extorted from the complainant amounts to approximately €600.
The Police reminds the public to be especially cautious of phone calls, emails or online communications from unknown persons asking for personal or banking details.
Citizens are urged not to follow links sent from unknown sources and to contact their banking organization directly to confirm any suspicious communication.
The TAE of Nicosia continues the examinations.
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A 35-year-old Greek Cypriot was brought before the Limassol District Court today (22/6), who was arrested yesterday on suspicion of possession of child pornography files.
In a closed-door procedure, the Court approved a request by the investigators of the Cybercrime Office of the Police Headquarters and ordered his detention for a period of four days to facilitate the examinations.
According to information from philenews, the case started after information received through Europol, according to which a user allegedly posted child sexual abuse material on the internet. From the examinations carried out by the Cybercrime Office, evidence emerged that led to the identification of the 35-year-old.
Subsequently, a search of the suspect's home was carried out on the basis of a court warrant, during which various items were located and confiscated, including a computer and a mobile phone.
At first glance, it seems that 12 files of child pornography were found in his possession.
All the evidence was received to be subjected to a forensic examination, while the investigations of the authorities continue.
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Citizens and members of the Police put an end to the action of the 34-year-old wanted burglar, who skimmed dozens of houses and properties in Limassol in recent months, after a chase in Mouttagiaka. The revelations that followed also led to the arrest of a 53-year-old goldsmith, who allegedly bought the stolen goods.
The 34-year-old is said to be involved in more than 13 cases of burglary and theft committed in the last two months in the province of Limassol with the total value of the stolen goods amounting to tens of thousands of euros, while in some of the burglaries his movements were recorded by closed surveillance circuits. On two occasions in Pissouri, the 34-year-old together with another person knocked on the door of houses and asked if rooms were rented. After surveying the area, they then proceeded to burglary.
The 34-year-old was located on Sunday morning (21/6) by citizens in Mouttagiaka, who chased him, while then patrols of ADE Limassol were informed. According to information from our website, the 34-year-old was chased through residential yards and at some point, he jumped from the wall of a house, as a result of which he fell from a height of about 3 meters and was injured. Despite his injury, he continued to run in his attempt to escape. However, he was chased by members of the Police, stopped, telling the police: "Okay, catch me."
After his arrest, he reportedly reported that he had gone to the area to commit a burglary and that he was chased by civilians, who, he claimed, beat him.
Questioned in writing at the offices of TAE Limassol, the 34-year-old stated that he knew he was wanted and confessed to theft from a supermarket. At the same time, he allegedly admitted that he committed various burglaries in areas of Limassol, while expressing his intention to proceed with tent indications. In his testimony, he also implicated a goldsmith, claiming that he was selling the stolen goods to a 53-year-old man for €60 per gram.
Following this development, an arrest warrant was issued against the 53-year-old, who was arrested yesterday Sunday afternoon. A search of his goldsmith's shop, in his presence, followed, during which a large number of gold coins, jewellery and gold bars, as well as a large amount of cash were found. During interrogation, the 53-year-old made various allegations, which are expected to be investigated.
In addition to the 13 burglary cases under investigation, there are several others committed in the last two months and are being examined by investigators, as the mode of action is similar to that of the 34-year-old.
Both the 34-year-old and the 53-year-old were brought before the Limassol Court on Monday for the issuance of a detention order. The Court ordered the eight-day detention of the 34-year-old, while it issued a five-day detention order for the 53-year-old.
Other persons who allegedly collaborated with the 34-year-old are also being sought in the case, including a woman, while five reconnaissance factions are expected to take place.
