Friday, October 23, 2026

CRIME ROUND UP

 Pafos Live 23/10



The Customs Department confiscated 28.000 condoms, which were fakes, after checking a container, which arrived from Greece.



The owner of the company seems to have admitted that these condoms are fakes and in the coming days they will be destroyed.

On the occasion of the incident, the Department warns the public again about the risks involved in the use of counterfeit products, without quality procedures and materials.

He emphasizes that the use of imitation condoms can lead to unwanted pregnancies and the transfer of sexually transmitted diseases.

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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, eight persons were arrested for various offenses, including robbery, burglary, illegal stay in the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, possession of duty-free tobacco products, as well as for pending fine warrants.

As part of these operations, during the night, 322 drivers and 105 passengers were stopped and checked. At the same time, 28 inspections of premises were carried out, with the aim of dealing with phenomena of delinquency.

During traffic checks carried out, 160 complaints were made, concerning various traffic violations, while six investigated cases of traffic violations also emerged.

Of the complaints made, 83 concerned exceeding the speed limit, while as part of the police examinations, two vehicles were detained.

124 alcohol tests were carried out, from which six complaints emerged, as well as two preliminary drug tests, with one positive result.

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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The actions of the Police, around the gangster robbery that took place in the area of Sfalagiotissa in Limassol, bore fruit.

Following information given to the TAE Limassol and after a coordinated operation by members of the TAE and OPE Limassol, jewelry and gold were found which are stolen property of the robbery and the 24-year-old was arrested.

An arrest warrant was issued against the 24-year-old, under which he was arrested and taken into custody for the purpose of facilitating investigations.

The 24-year-old is expected to appear before the Limassol District Court today, for the issuance of a detention order.

It is recalled that five other persons were arrested for the same case on October 22, 2026, for the purpose of facilitating investigations. The five suspects are under eight-day detention, pursuant to a detention order issued by the Limassol District Court.

The case under investigation concerns a complaint submitted to the Police by a couple living in Limassol, according to which, around 3:00 in the morning of 08/10/2026, unknown persons entered their home and, after immobilizing them, extorted a sum of money amounting to €5.000 and 1.000 US dollars, as well as jewellery with a total value exceeding €100.000.

Three persons are wanted for the case, whose details and photos were released yesterday, October 22, 2026, in order to collect information that may contribute to their location and the investigation of the case of robbery and burglary of a house.

The TAE Limassol continues the examinations.

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The District Court rejected the UK's request for 45-year-old Rashad Sultanov to be extradited to Britain.

We remind you that the request was forwarded from the United Kingdom to the Republic of Cyprus last June, considering that Sultanov's offenses were committed on British soil.

A case against him will now be re-registered at the Limassol Criminal Court. The 45-year-old was arrested in the summer of 2025 by the Cyprus Police, after - among other things - he was allegedly accused of photographing military installations inside the Akrotiri Bases.

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A 19-year-old with a British passport was handcuffed on Friday morning (23/10) by the Anti-Drug Service, after about 28 kilograms of cannabis were found in his luggage.

According to information from philenews from a police source, the young man arrived at Larnaca airport from Thailand, via Dubai. On the information basis, the suspect was stopped for inspection by Customs officials, who cooperated with members of YKAN.

A total of 26 packages with about 28 kilograms of cannabis were found in two luggage of the 19-year-old. The young man was arrested and tomorrow he is expected to be brought before the Larnaca District Court for the issuance of a detention order.

YKAN is looking for the recipients of the drugs in Cyprus, while Interpol is also expected to be informed about the case.

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A dead hare, which appears to have been killed recently, seven featherless birds and 38 prohibited type cartridges were found by the authorities during targeted searches carried out on Friday morning in three houses in the province of Paphos, as part of operations to combat poaching.

The investigations were carried out by the Game and Fauna Service, in close cooperation with the Poaching Unit of the MMAD, after obtaining court warrants.



The Game and Fauna Service states that, in cooperation with the Police, it will continue targeted controls and coordinated operations, with the aim of preventing and combating all forms of poaching.

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Almost three years after the murder of Thanasis Kalogeropoulos, the verdict of the Permanent Criminal Court of Limassol for the much-praised case is announced today.

The proceedings were interrupted while it was in progress, as one of the lawyers lost consciousness in the courtroom. An ambulance was called to the scene.


It is recalled that the murder of the 55-year-old was committed on October 30, 2023, in a parking lot next to a seaside restaurant on Amathus Avenue. There are four defendants in the dock, who face, among other things, the most serious charge of the Criminal Code, that of premeditated murder.


The heavy indictment also includes the offenses of conspiracy to murder, possession, transportation and use of category A and B firearms, possession, transportation and use of explosives, as well as arson of a vehicle.


In view of today's proceedings and the expected announcement of the decision, the authorities have taken draconian security measures in the area of the Court.

It is recalled that the announcement of the decision was originally scheduled for September 9. However, it was not possible to complete its writing, due to the large volume of testimony presented to the Court.


In the much-praised case, more than 75 prosecution witnesses testified, most of them members of the Police, investigators and experts, who participated in the collection and evaluation of the voluminous witness material.

It is worth noting that more than 560 items were submitted. The witness material includes video-documents from closed circuit surveillance of the area where the murder was committed, as well as videos and conversations that emerged from the examination of the telecommunications data of the accused. Relatives of the victim, eyewitnesses as well as other persons who were called to testify in the context of the proceedings also testified.


After the completion of the presentation of the case by the Prosecuting Authority, the Criminal Court ruled that a prima facie case was established and called the defendants to apologize. The defendants chose to exercise the right to silence, while the defense called witnesses, experts, who testified under oath.

The four defendants, currently aged 43, 46, 24 and 23, remain on trial in the Central Prison since the beginning of the case. Defendants 1 and 4 are attributed the role of the natural perpetrators, as they allegedly got out of the vehicle and repeatedly shot Thanasis Kalogeropoulos, in the parking lot while the victim was inside his vehicle. Defendants 2 and 3 are attributed, respectively, the role of accomplices in the case.

Update - The curtain fell on the much-praised case of the murder of Thanasis Kalogeropoulos today (23/10) by the Limassol Permanent Criminal Court, finding the four defendants guilty. The decision essentially refers to a life sentence.

Life imprisonment for the murder of Kalogeropoulos and 9 years in prison for conspiracy to murder

According to the president of the Court, the decision is unanimous and exceeds 600 pages, while it is divided into sections. The decision was not read in its entirety, but its most important points were presented.

The Court concluded that the guilt of the four defendants for the premeditated murder of Thanasis Kalogeropoulos was proven beyond any reasonable doubt. At the same time, he found them guilty of the other charges they faced, with the exception of the charge of complicity after committing murder, which the 24-year-old defendant was facing.

It is recalled that the four defendants, aged 43, 46, 24 and 23, faced a total of 11 charges together, while the 24-year-old additionally faced the charge of complicity after committing murder.

The Court ruled that the murder of Thanasis Kalogeropoulos was committed premeditated, pointing out that it was an act that was premeditated.

The murder of the 55-year-old was committed on October 30, 2023, in a parking lot next to a seaside restaurant, on Amathus Avenue, in Limassol.

The heavy indictment includes, among other things, the charge of premeditated murder, as well as offenses related to conspiracy to murder, possession, transportation and use of category A and B firearms, possession, transportation and use of explosives, as well as arson of a vehicle.

The security measures implemented in the area of the Court were draconian, with all those who came to the room of the Permanent Criminal Court of Limassol being checked. Relatives of the victim were also in the courtroom, who watched the announcement of the verdict.


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The defense focused on the mental health problems of the 48-year-old, his remorse and his clean criminal record during today's proceedings (22/10) before the Permanent Criminal Court of Limassol, asking for a mitigation of the sentence for the homicide of his father, Giorgos Hadjigeorgiou. The case concerns the murder of the elderly man in the early hours of July 9, 2025 in Limassol, with the decision on the imposition of the sentence expected in early November.

During today's proceedings, the defendant's defense lawyers submitted their written arguments for the mitigation of his sentence, while the report prepared by the Welfare Office was also brought before the Court.

According to the defense, the accused has admitted his act and expresses remorse. As mentioned, it was an episode for which he has regretted. His decision to use a knife and stab the father was not premeditated, but, in the defense's position, arose due to a loss of self-control.

In the written text of the defense, various court decisions and case law were cited, while it was pointed out that the accused has mental health problems, as described in the relevant reports.

As it was underlined, the symptoms first appeared when he was studying in New York, as a result of which he interrupted his studies. Reference was also made to the fact that the accused was examined by a government psychiatrist, who, according to what was reported, found the existence of an entrenched paranoid readiness in the form of beliefs. As it is known, the accused remained incarcerated at the Athalassa Hospital from the day of his arrest until August 22, 2025.

As mitigating circumstances, the defense cited the fact that the accused does not have previous convictions, nor is he a person with a history of violent or intimidating behavior. The position of the defense is that the Court should not focus on the seriousness of the offense in isolation, but should also give due importance to the psychiatric problems of the accused, as well as the effect that these may have had on the commission of the crime of homicide.

The accused, according to the defense, immediately accepted the commission of the offense, informed the Police himself and admitted his guilt before the Criminal Court. It was also mentioned that he is asking for forgiveness from his family, the Court and society for his act.

Earlier, the representative of the Prosecution referred to the facts of the case and shocking details. According to the facts read at the Criminal Court, on July 9, 2025, around 4:16 in the morning, the accused called from his mobile phone to the Limassol Police Department and confessed that a few minutes earlier he had stabbed his father. At the same time, he asked the members of the Police to go to his house to arrest him. In response to a question, he said that he stabbed his father "because God asked him to". After the telephone conversation with the Police, he called other persons, informing them that he had stabbed his father.

Upon the arrival of the police, the accused indicated to them that he had left the knife at the crime scene, in the ground floor house. He also said he had ordered the knife about four months ago from an online website, along with other knives.

During his transfer to the Limassol Police Department, according to the facts, when his attention was drawn to the law, he allegedly said: "I killed my boss because he did a lot to me, dissolve me."

The facts also refer to the victim's injuries, as well as to the fact that the accused has been monitored in recent years by a private psychiatrist.

In his testimony, the accused stated that, while he was in his bedroom using his computer, he began to think about the "suffering" that, as he claimed, his father had caused him. According to what has been reported, these thoughts led him to the desire to harm him. Reference is also made to his hospitalization at Athalassa Hospital, as well as to the fact that he is a person with a clean criminal record.

The decision to impose a sentence was set for the beginning of November, with the accused returning to the Central Prison, where he remains on trial.