Pafos Live 23 July 2026
The Police arrested a 33-year-old man, to facilitate investigations regarding an investigated case of arson of a truck, committed in Paphos on July 19, 2026.
As part of the investigation of the case, testimony was secured against the 33-year-old and he was arrested yesterday afternoon on the basis of a court warrant issued against him.
The incident took place around 4.20 a.m. on 19/07/2026, when a fire broke out in a truck parked in an open area, in the area of Paphos.
The 33-year-old is expected to appear before the Paphos District Court today, for the issuance of a detention order.
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One hundred and fifty kilos of cables used exclusively by the EAC were found in two metal trading and recycling premises in Paphos.
Both properties belong to Syrians residing in Paphos who were arrested, charged in writing and released to be summoned later.
During yesterday, the police organized a Pancyprian campaign in metal trading areas after the latest complaints made about the desecration of monuments and the removal of even busts of heroes.
In one of the two premises, 50 kg of cables were found shredded and in the second 100 kg of the same cable which is used in Cyprus exclusively by the EAC.
An official of the authority who was called to the two premises confirmed that this is material of the authority.
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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, 13 persons were arrested for offenses such as arson of a vehicle, illegal possession of drugs, carrying knives, possession of forged documents and counterfeit banknotes, as well as other offenses.
As part of these operations, during the night, 680 drivers and 227 passengers were stopped and checked. At the same time, 42 inspections of premises were carried out, with the aim of dealing with phenomena of delinquency, where 3 complaints emerged.
During traffic checks carried out, 339 complaints were made, concerning various traffic violations, while nine investigated cases of traffic violations also emerged.
Of the complaints made, 89 concerned exceeding the speed limit, while as part of the police examinations, five vehicles were detained. 165 alcohol tests were also carried out with six positive results, while one driver tested positive in a preliminary drug test.
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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As part of the efforts made by the Police to crack down on illegal immigration, a total of 13 people were arrested today.
Specifically, in an operation of the Aliens and Immigration Service (YAM) carried out in the city and district of Limassol, members of the Limassol and Paphos Immigration Service, as well as members of the Green Line Surveillance Sub-Directorate, identified and arrested 13 persons for the offense of illegal stay on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus.
Three of the above persons have already left Cyprus for their countries of origin, while for the rest their repatriation procedures continue.
The Police continues to focus their efforts on maximizing the number of repatriations of third-country nationals residing illegally in the Republic of Cyprus, in coordination with the Deputy Ministry of Migration.
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The Supreme Court rejected the appeal of the Attorney General and upheld the decision that had annulled the search warrant for two bank vaults of Natalie Jiapura, ruling that sufficient testimony had not been put before the District Court to justify his extradition.
The decision, dated July 17, 2026, concerns the case related to the Police investigation into alleged organized criminal activity, centred on George Christodoulou Zavrantonas. The search warrant was issued on July 1, 2025 for two bank vaults held by Natalie Tziapura at a Bank of Cyprus branch in Nicosia.
According to the decision, for the issuance of the warrant, the Police had relied, among other things, on information about the management and safekeeping of large sums of money, as well as information related to the respondent's businesses.
In particular, it referred to information received from a person whose credibility had been positively evaluated, according to which systems for the financial statements of businesses had been installed in a goldsmith's shop and an institute owned by it and that, especially the beauty salon, it had "super profits that were not justified".
However, the Supreme Court held that the affidavit supporting the Police's request did not provide the necessary factual evidence, but was based on general information and conclusions, without allowing the Court to form its own judgment on the existence of reasonable suspicion.
The Supreme Court also agreed with the first-instance finding that the content of the warrant went beyond the testimony that had been put before the Court. As stated in the decision, while the information available to the Police "spoke of the applicant receiving only cash money, the product of criminal activity, nevertheless the search warrant issued authorized, impermissibly, the confiscation of jewellery and other valuable items".
Referring to the content of the affidavit, the Supreme Court noted that "it referred to information, without it being specified in anything tangible, nor was any reference made to the content of the information itself".
At the same time, he clarified that it is not required to disclose the identity of an informant, however "there should be some kind of documentation from where and how the information led to the final results". As he adds, "however, even at a low level, data must be given and not just conclusions or conclusions".
The Supreme Court also added that the "reasonable suspicion is that of the judge who issues the warrant himself, who must draw his own conclusion, based on the facts as contained in the oath".
Rejecting the Attorney General's claim that previous searches of other premises had confirmed the initial information, the Supreme Court noted that the affidavit "does not mention that the other search warrants were issued on the basis of the same information, while the testimony used to issue the other search warrants is not disclosed either."
At the same time, it considered that there was not a sufficient connection between the respondent and the bank vaults to justify their investigation. As stated in the decision, "in the present case, there is no necessary witness background to judge, objectively, that there was a necessary sufficiency of the Respondent's involvement with the offenses under investigation and, through it, with the place requested to be investigated".
The Supreme Court concluded that "the mere issuance of an arrest and search warrant at an earlier stage, without the corresponding supporting testimony being submitted to the lower Court, does not automatically justify the conduct of a search of the bank vaults found at a later stage".
Therefore, it dismissed the appeal of the Attorney General, upholding the annulment of the search warrant and awarding costs of €3,000 plus VAT, at the expense of the Appellant.
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The reactions recorded internationally after the deportation of 41-year-old Abdel Karim Mikdad and his surrender to Cyprus for a terrorism case, did not leave the Indonesian authorities unmoved.
In addition to the fact that yesterday competent officials of the Asian country officially took a position on the issue, rejecting the allegations of an irregular procedure, a senior government official had a meeting with Nikos Panayiotou, Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to the populous island state.
We remind you that Palestinian media, as well as a Geneva-based Non-Governmental Organization have expressed concerns since last week about the fact that the 41-year-old was handed over to Cyprus by express procedure, leaving clear suspicions of a violation of the suspect's rights and his possible surrender from our island to Israel.
However, yesterday competent Indonesian officials categorically rejected all of the above. The message they sent with their positions is that not only were no rights violated, but they categorically denied that Mikdad is a political activist.
The Tempo website initially broadcast statements from the country's Interpol official, Udung Widiatmoko. The latter stressed that the process of handing over Mikdad to Cyprus "was carried out in accordance with the prescribed legal procedures". He added that his arrest and deportation were not linked to any humanitarian action or support for Palestine or his religious identity.
He explained, in fact, that the wanted man was found to have tried to cross from Malaysia to Indonesia, after passport control. "Therefore, it is a big mistake to say that we acted outside the procedures," Udung added.
He also referred to the red notice issued by Interpol Nicosia on June 10, 2026, against Mikdad, "for a case that in Cyprus is classified as an offense related to terrorism. Authorities then determined that Mikdad had entered Indonesian territory from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia."
He stressed that Interpol does not issue a red notice when the case concerns political, religious, human rights issues, military or racial issues.
Udung said that Interpol Indonesia proceeded with the deportation (note and not extradition) of Mikdad, clarifying that it was a "precautionary measure to limit possible terrorist threats in the country".
He also claimed that the authorities followed the legal procedure in accordance with the law, using official arrest documents based on the request for the transfer of the suspect by the Cyprus Police. "So, what process did we violate?" he asked.
A senior official of the Indonesian government also spoke on the issue. The reason for the Coordinating Minister for Legal Affairs, Human Rights, Migration and Penitentiary Affairs, Yursil Ihza Mahendra.
"Mikdad was deported by the Indonesian Police, as we do not have an extradition agreement with the Republic of Cyprus," Yousril clarified at a press conference in South Jakarta yesterday, after his meeting with the ambassador of Cyprus.
Yurril also rejected claims that Mikdad was a Palestinian religious leader or humanitarian activist in Gaza. He said he contacted the Palestinian ambassador to confirm Mikdad's background. Based on his passport details and other documents, the authorities determined that the 41-year-old Palestinian national was not a religious figure nor a humanitarian worker, but an ordinary citizen who was active in business.
Mikdad had been living in Indonesia for the past three years, where he had married and had children. Yusril said there was no evidence that Mikdad was involved in humanitarian operations in Gaza.
Yusril also rejected claims that Cyprus could hand over Mikdad to Israel after his deportation.
After his meeting with the Cypriot ambassador, he said that the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will officially address the Cypriot government, asking for assurances that there will be no further deportation from Cyprus.
"Following my meeting with the ambassador of Cyprus, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will send a formal diplomatic request to the Cypriot government to receive an assurance that there will be no further deportation from Cyprus," he said.
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Two persons were arrested as part of the examinations carried out by the Cybercrime Sub-Directorate, regarding a case involving audiovisual material, which was allegedly broadcast live through a social networking platform and in which persons appear to incite another person to acts that violate his dignity.
The arrests were made on the basis of court warrants obtained after the evaluation of the witness material gathered during the investigation of the case.
The two persons are expected to be brought before the Court today, for the purpose of issuing a detention order.
The examinations continue.
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A confiscation order for property with a total value of €164,585 was issued today by the Permanent Criminal Court of Limassol in the context of the trial of a criminal case related to drug trafficking.
After the discovery of more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and more than 12 kilograms of cannabis, in November 2024 and an investigation by the Anti-Drug Service, the Police proceeded to register a case against four persons. They are two 52-year-olds, a 35-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman.
As part of the investigation of the case, YKAN, in cooperation with MOKAS, carried out a financial investigation against the accused, in the context of which assets were frozen, including sums of money and cars.
In the context of the trial of the case at the Permanent Criminal Court of Limassol, a confiscation order was issued yesterday, with a total value of €164,585, specifically confiscation of the property of the 35-year-old worth €144,585 and property of 34 years worth €20,000.
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Another 19 persons were arrested today by the Police for dealing with illegal immigration in our country.
Specifically, in an operation of the Aliens and Immigration Service (YAM) carried out in Nicosia, members of the YAM Headquarters, Nicosia and Larnaca, as well as members of the Green Line Surveillance Sub-Directorate, identified and arrested 19 persons for the crime of illegal stay on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus.
Six of the above persons have already left Cyprus for their countries of origin, while for the rest their repatriation procedures continue.
The Police continues to focus their efforts on maximizing the number of repatriations of third-country nationals residing illegally in the Republic of Cyprus, in coordination with the Deputy Ministry of Migration.
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Cy Mail
Investigators have widened their inquiry into a cache of firearms discovered at a house in the Larnaca district village of Oroklini after identifying possible connections between the 38-year-old suspect and the torture case in nearby Pyla already before the Larnaca criminal court.
The latest developments emerged during remand proceedings for the 38-year-old, who was arrested after police recovered a rifle, a Czech firearm, a Walther pistol and ammunition concealed beneath furniture inside his home.
Investigators are now examining evidence from separate criminal investigations, including an unresolved prison death and an alleged torture ring centred on a casino in Pyla.
He has also been identified as one of the alleged victims in the torture case involving a 48-year-old man currently standing trial over a series of violent offences, including the January shootings and brawl outside Larnaca police headquarters.
The police said the 38-year-old appears in the 16th video recovered from the 48-year-old’s mobile phone.
According to evidence already presented before the criminal court, the 48-year-old can be heard accusing the 38-year-old of spying on him at the behest of another individual who allegedly intended to kill him.
Investigators said the footage shows the victim sitting on a sofa holding his head while multiple men throw him to the floor before repeatedly kicking and punching him as he pleads for mercy.
The torture investigation centres on more than 3,000 photographs and videos recovered from mobile phones obtained by police.
Prosecutors allege the material documents the abuse of at least seven victims inside an office at a casino in Pyla.
The police have described the footage as among the most disturbing evidence encountered during the investigation into organised crime in Larnaca, with charges against the 48-year-old including kidnapping, torture, and firearms offences.
A second suspect has also been charged while another foreign national remains wanted.
The weapons investigation began after police received information last Wednesday that jewellery and expensive watches believed to be stolen during burglaries in Paphos had been hidden at the Oroklini property.
Although officers did not recover the reported valuables, they instead found a Heckler & Koch G3 military rifle fitted with a fixed stock and scope together with an empty magazine.
The second contained a Czech firearm, a Walther pistol with altered serial numbers and quantities of ammunition of different calibres.
The 38-year-old’s grandmother, who was present during the search, told investigators she had discovered the bags while searching beneath furniture for her cat several weeks earlier.
After feeling metal objects inside she became suspicious and questioned the 38- year-old, who allegedly told her he was keeping the items safe.
She said she instructed her grandson to remove them, but they remained in the house until police arrived.
Further examination established that the rifle had been reported stolen from a National Guard battalion in November 2024 in the Nicosia district village of Pera Chorio.
The Czech firearm was also identified in police records after being reported missing during the Turkish invasion of 1974 and formally recorded as lost in 1977.
The police told the court they have now obtained investigative files from both the National Guard inquiry and the police investigation into the missing rifle .
Further forensic work is expected to include ballistic examinations to establish whether the recovered weapons were used in other offences.
The court granted an eight-day remand after the defence raised no objection. The police’s investigation into the matter is ongoing.
