Pafos Press 5/11
Man arrives at police station drunk by car and gets arrested
Instead of providing an explanation regarding a complaint filed against him, a 69-year-old foreign national ended up in handcuffs after driving to the Pegeia Police Station while under the influence of alcohol.
According to the Police, yesterday, Wednesday (04/11), at approximately 17:20, the 69-year-old arrived at the Pegeia Police Station—following a summons—to address a complaint filed against him concerning the causing of a disturbance.
The man arrived at the station driving his own car, which he parked in the police parking area.
While he was at the station, police officers noticed a strong smell of alcohol on him and proceeded to conduct an alcohol test. In the preliminary test, the reading was 100 micrograms of alcohol per 100 milliliters of breath, while in the final test, the reading was 86 micrograms—well above the permitted limit.
The 69-year-old was arrested and is expected to appear in court today, Thursday (05/11), in connection with the case.
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Two minors stole motorcycles and went to a primary school
Two 15-year-olds have allegedly admitted to stealing two motorcycles from the Karavellas area in Paphos and subsequently riding them to a primary school in the Anavargos area, where they were discovered by the Police.
The incident came to light yesterday, Wednesday (04/11), around 07:30 in the morning, when a member of the Limassol CID—who was at a primary school in Anavargos for official business—noticed two motorcycles parked in the schoolyard.
The two motorcycles lacked registration plates and showed signs of damage, which aroused suspicion.
Police officers conducted an on-site investigation, which revealed the involvement of two 15-year-olds. They had arrived at the school premises as visitors and were not students at that particular primary school.
During the initial questioning, the two minors claimed that they had purchased the motorcycles from another individual. However, during subsequent questioning—according to information provided by the police—they admitted to having stolen the two motorcycles the previous night from the Karavellas area in Paphos.
Investigations revealed that the two 15-year-olds had used the motorcycles to travel to the Anavargos Primary School, where they were ultimately located.
The two minors were arrested, and the case is currently under investigation by the police.
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PAPHOS: Paphos Municipality’s claim of nearly €295,000 regarding the “Ta Bania” café rejected
The Court ruled that the additional charges for outdoor areas were not substantiated and ordered the Paphos Municipality to pay legal costs.
Yesterday, the Paphos District Court rejected a counterclaim filed by the Municipality against the tenants of the “Ta Bania” café, through which it sought to recover €294,823.99 plus VAT for the period from 2008 to 2021. According to the ruling, the Court identified gaps in the evidence regarding both the extent of the outdoor areas and the amounts claimed by the Municipality.
According to the background of the case, while the tenants had paid fees for 72 square meters for a number of years, the Municipality subsequently—and, as it turned out, unjustifiably—began demanding payment for 243 square meters, and later for 258 square meters. However, it was not sufficiently substantiated that the previous calculations were incorrect, nor were the larger areas proven to exist.
Furthermore, insufficient evidence was submitted to link the charges to those of other leisure venues in the area, as stipulated by the agreement. The Court acknowledged the existence of a contractual obligation to pay fees in addition to the rent. However, it ruled that the Municipality failed to substantiate this specific claim.
The counterclaim was dismissed, with legal costs awarded to the tenants; the exact amount will be determined through the established procedure.
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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, five persons were arrested for various offences, including illegal stay in the Republic of Cyprus, illegal possession of drugs, as well as pending fine warrants.
As part of these operations, during the night, 495 drivers and 122 passengers were stopped and checked. At the same time, 23 inspections of premises were carried out, with the aim of dealing with phenomena of delinquency.
During traffic checks carried out, 278 complaints were made, concerning various traffic violations, while six investigated cases of traffic violations also emerged.
Of the complaints made, 125 concerned exceeding the speed limit, while as part of the police examinations, six vehicles were detained.
201 alcohol tests were carried out, from which five complaints emerged, while a drug test was also carried out, with a negative 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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A doctor from abroad, who in the previous weeks was advertised by a private hospital in Cyprus that he would come to the island in order to perform injectable aesthetic treatments (Botox), was finally arrested at the airport, having in his luggage large quantities of pharmaceuticals, including anesthetic solutions of unknown origin.
As philenews is informed, the arrival of this doctor had been announced online a few weeks ago, with the competent Pharmaceutical Services of the state identifying the relevant posts and informing the Police and the Customs Department.
Upon the doctor's arrival in Cyprus, from Greece, officials of the Customs Department proceeded to check his luggage, identifying quantities of injectable pharmaceutical products used for aesthetic purposes, as well as anesthetic solutions whose origin had not been ascertained.
The packaging of the preparations did not contain labels and instructions for use in Greek or English, which raises additional issues in terms of their compliance with the requirements of the Cypriot pharmaceutical legislation.
The case is being investigated by the competent authorities, focusing on the legality of the transport of the specific products to Cyprus, their origin and the purpose for which they were intended.
From online advertising to Customs control
Of particular interest is the way in which the competent services were led to locate the doctor.
According to the information of filenews, the Pharmaceutical Services had identified the online posts through which his imminent arrival in Cyprus was advertised for the performance of cosmetic interventions.
This was followed by a briefing of the competent authorities and, when the doctor arrived at the airport, the check was carried out which led to the identification of the medicinal products and his arrest.
The fact that the treatments were advertised in advance is an important element of the case, as, as a competent source explained to Filenews, it links the transfer of the preparations to a planned professional activity and not to personal therapeutic use.
The same source stressed that the status of a doctor does not automatically give the right to import pharmaceutical products for professional use, without following the procedures provided by law.
A separate aspect of the investigation is the detection of anesthetic solutions of unknown origin.
These are medicinal products intended for administration to the human body and for which it is of particular importance to verify their origin, composition, storage conditions and movement.
The warnings of the Pharmaceutical Services in September
This case comes in addition to the concerns publicly expressed by the Pharmaceutical Services last September, regarding the marketing and administration of unapproved pharmaceutical products and injectable treatments.
In an official announcement on September 7, 2026, the Pharmaceutical Services had warned of the serious risks that the supply and use of unlicensed or illegally trafficked drugs may entail.
The announcement made special reference to products promoted through the internet and social media, but also to places such as gyms, beauty salons, hairdressers and other unauthorized facilities.
The warnings concerned, among other things, injectable products advertised for anti-aging, improving physical appearance, weight loss, well-being and other purposes.
The Pharmaceutical Services had pointed out that the use of injectable and intravenous products requires special care, as when the prescribed preparation, storage and distribution specifications are not met, serious health risks may arise.
Among the risks recorded were contamination, the presence of unknown or incorrect active substances, incorrect content and dosage, infections, toxicity and serious adverse reactions.
The same announcement underlined that pharmaceutical products must come from legal and controlled sources and that the marketing and distribution of unlicensed or unapproved medicines in Cyprus constitutes a violation of the legislation.
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The new criminal act against the family of a 48-year-old lifer, who was convicted of the quadruple murder in Ayia Napa, came to disturb the delicate balances in the free area of Famagusta even more. Two and a half months after the assassination attempt on his 33-year-old brother, who escaped purely by luck, unknown persons fired shots at his 76-year-old father's house in Ormidia.
The incident caused great concern and put the Famagusta Police on a new alert, since it is estimated that the two criminal actions may be related. The prevailing scenario, according to police sources, is that it was a new message to the lifer from members of an organized crime group.
For this reason, the investigations will be extended to the central prisons, while a statement from the lifer is expected to be taken. In addition, the activities of the 48-year-old, who owns businesses in Ayia Napa, will be put under the microscope again. It is noted that the attempted murder of his 33-year-old brother remains unsolved.
The new criminal act was committed at 3 am on Wednesday, while the 76-year-old was at home with his wife. However, it was reported to the Police in the morning of the same day, after the pensioner allegedly reported to the Police that they did not notice the shooting. 7 shots were fired against the house, which hit the façade and the pensioner's vehicle.
Investigations at the scene were carried out by members of the Famagusta Police Department and the Criminal Investigation Service, who collected shell casings and other evidence, which will be subject to specialized examinations. The Police are looking for testimonies from neighbors, as well as closed surveillance circuits in the area in an attempt to identify the perpetrators.
It is recalled that in the early hours of August 21, 2026, unknown persons gassed the vehicle of the 33-year-old brother of the lifer, who was not injured. The attempted murder was committed at 05:40, while the 33-year-old was driving his car in the Kokkines area in Ayia Napa.
The perpetrators ambushed him a few meters away from his house and as soon as he tried to turn right, they opened fire, hitting the right side of his car several times. He escaped because he continued the course of the vehicle. Shortly after the attempted murder, a car was found burning in an open area in the Avgorou area, which was later linked to the perpetrators of the attempted murder.
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The Police arrested 26 persons and froze property and money totaling approximately €500,000 during today's "Plex" operation, as part of an investigation into drug trafficking and money laundering networks.
The operation was carried out by the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (DAOE) in the districts of Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca and Famagusta, as well as in the Central Prisons. 27 searches were carried out in homes, premises, vehicles and cells, during which weapons, drugs, cash and mobile phones were found, among others.
According to the Police, today's action is a continuation of a months-long investigation, which began in February 2026, after the discovery of large quantities of drugs in the province of Nicosia.
The case that led to today's arrests
The starting point of the investigations was an operation of YKAN on February 19, 2026. Members of the Service stopped a vehicle in which two people were riding and found 11.480 firecrackers, while quantities of cannabis and cocaine were found in the possession of one of the occupants.
This was followed by searches of a residence and premises connected to the driver, where 167 kilograms of cannabis, 62 kilograms of cocaine and 4,5 kilograms of cannabis resin were seized, as well as firearms, explosive devices, a sum of money and electronic cigarettes that appear to contain narcotic substances.
Five people are already in custody as atrial in connection with the case. The investigation continued with the aim of identifying other parties involved and ascertaining the connections and scope of the activity under investigation.
What was found in the 27 investigations
During today's operation, arrest warrants were executed for the 26 persons. At the same time, the investigations identified and received:
- €25,025 in cash and 37 mobile phones.
- A pistol, a shotgun, 13 cartridges of various calibers and 534 hunting cartridges.
- A small amount of cannabis, two grinders with a small amount of cannabis, two half-smoked cigarettes with cannabis and about 10 grams of cocaine.
- Eight precision scales.
- 354 firecrackers, 456 flares, 22 fireworks, 192 sparklers and two smoke bombs.
The offenses under investigation concern, among other things, illegal supply and possession of class A and B controlled drugs, possession for the purpose of supply, participation in a criminal organization, conspiracy to commit a felony, participation and acceptance of the commission of crimes and money laundering. Offenses of illegal possession of explosives and circulation of pharmaceutical products without the required license are also being examined.
Property, vehicles and money seized
In the financial part of the investigation, in cooperation with MOKAS, court orders were secured for a residence, pieces of land, ten cars and two motorcycles, with a total estimated value of approximately €400,000. So far, a sum of €100,000 has also been frozen.
The Police state that the aim of the investigation is, in addition to the arrests and seizures of drugs, to identify the support mechanisms and financial resources of the criminal networks under investigation. At the same time, he notes that operations against organized crime will continue.
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Four of the six defendants, all of Syrian origin, for the robbery committed in the early hours of October 8 at a residence in Sfalagiotissa will be brought to a direct trial before the Limassol Permanent Criminal Court today, Thursday (5/11). The first hearing was set for December 16.
The representative of the Prosecution Authority will request the detention of the four defendants as awaiting trial until the start of the trial. Two of the six people involved, according to information from filenews, are expected to turn into prosecution witnesses, while three persons are still wanted.
The four face offenses related to conspiracy to commit a felony and a misdemeanor, robbery, night burglary, a person armed with the intent to commit a felony, claiming property with a threat, possession and carrying of a knife, assault causing actual bodily harm, threat, money laundering and theft.
It is noted that, according to the evidence that emerged from the examinations, the perpetrators allegedly threatened the couple with knives and not with a pistol, as originally reported.
It is recalled that two of the accused admitted their involvement in the case, describing in detail to the investigators of the TAE Limassol their way of acting. According to what they reported, they monitored the residence for three days, while part of the money extracted was allegedly spent on casino games after the robbery.
As philenews is informed, during the interrogations, new information emerged about how the robbery was organized and executed, as well as about the management of the stolen property.
At the same time, the Police secured written testimony according to which, after the robbery, the third and fifth defendants, aged 27 and 29, went with two wanted persons to the casino in Limassol, where they allegedly used money from the loot to gamble.
In addition, the 36-year-old identified a total of 110 pieces of jewelry, which are part of her stolen property, the total value of which amounts to €327.000.
According to the evidence presented before the court, the perpetrators entered the residence in the early hours of October 8 and remained inside it for 39 minutes, as recorded in the closed surveillance circuits.
After tying the husband with duct tape and plastic clamps and threatening the couple with knives, they asked the 36-year-old to open the safe. From there they extracted money and jewellery with a total value of €327.000. They were then recorded exiting the residence through the balcony door and escaping, jumping over the fence. In fact, one of the accused, aged 29, is said to have installed a door in the couple's residence in the past.
Video and evidence under the microscope
Important data emerged from the evaluation of closed circuit surveillance. Specifically, a red Mazda vehicle was recorded repeatedly moving near the residence, while footage from a gas station shows one of the wanted persons in the passenger seat.
A few minutes before the robbery, the same vehicle was recorded stopping outside a kiosk in Mesa Geitonia, where one of the wanted persons allegedly bought adhesive tape, with which, according to the data of the case, the couple was immobilized.
The Mazda was placed under discreet surveillance and later stopped by the Police, while two people, aged 25 and 24, were on board.
In a subsequent search of a residence in Limassol, three more persons were found, as well as clothing and tools, which are being examined whether they are connected to the robbery. At the same time, in a BMW vehicle, which was searched with the consent of the 27-year-old accused, a knife was found that allegedly resembles the one seen in the footage from the residence.
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A Russian national obtained permission to register an application for the annulment of an arrest warrant issued against him in the context of extradition proceedings in the United States, following the success of his appeal before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled that there are prima facie debatable issues regarding the jurisdiction of the Limassol District Court to issue the arrest warrant, as well as the way in which its judgment as to the place where the wanted person was located.
The unanimous decision was issued on November 4, 2026 by a three-member composition of the Supreme Court, consisting of Judges L. Dimitriadou-Andreou, A. David and Al. Panagiotou, with the decision being given by Judge A. David.
The case concerns an arrest warrant issued on June 9, 2026 by the Limassol District Court, with the aim of extradition of the Russian citizen to the USA, in order to be tried in a case of conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to the information submitted to the Court, the American side accuses him of participating in monetary transactions involving property derived from a specific illegal activity, in violation of American law.
The extradition request was submitted on April 28, 2026 by the US Department of Justice to the Minister of Justice and Public Order of the Republic of Cyprus, through the Ministry of State. The documents described, among other things, the alleged action of an organized group involved in money laundering, as well as the role that the wanted person allegedly had.
On 21 May 2026, the Minister of Justice authorised the opening of the extradition procedure. However, according to the oath that supported the request for the issuance of the warrant, on June 9, 2026, at 17:40, the wanted person was located at Larnaca airport, where he was due to board a flight to Georgia. Authorities identified him through the database as a wanted person. When he was located, he stated that he lived in Limassol, at an address different from the one registered in the details of the Aliens and Immigration Service.
Despite the fact that the wanted person was at Larnaca airport, the request for the issuance of the warrant was submitted at 22:33 of the same day to the Limassol District Court, which issued the relevant warrant.
The requested person appealed to the Supreme Court, requesting permission to register an application for the issuance of privileged warrants of certiorari and prohibition. With the first, he sought the annulment of the arrest warrant and with the second the prohibition of the Limassol District Court from proceeding with the trial of his extradition process. The relevant application was rejected on July 21, 2026 by a judge of the Supreme Court, as a result of which the appeal followed.
A central issue in the appeal was the interpretation of Article 8(1)(a) of the Issuance of Fugitive Judges Law of 1970. This provision provides that an arrest warrant may be issued by a judge of the District Court in whose jurisdiction the wanted person is or is believed to be.
The Court of Appeal underlined that the ministerial authorization to initiate the extradition procedure is a necessary condition, but does not in itself establish the territorial jurisdiction of a District Court. This competence must be derived from the relevant legislative provisions.
In the present case, the judges found that, when the authorities approached the Limassol District Court, they already knew that the requested person was at Larnaca airport and therefore outside the jurisdiction of that court. The fact that at an earlier time he appeared to reside in Limassol does not seem, at first sight, to be sufficient to establish the jurisdiction of the Court, since it was known that at the relevant time he was in another province.
The Supreme Court also examined the content of the arrest warrant, which generally recorded that the wanted person was within the Republic of Cyprus. The judges expressed concern as to whether this general reference satisfies the requirement of the law, which requires that the person is or believes to be within the jurisdiction of the court issuing the warrant.
The Court of Appeal clarified that at the stage of examining an application for permission to issue a privileged warrant, the merits of the case are not examined in depth, but it is sufficient to establish that there is a prima facie debatable issue.
In conclusion, it accepted the appeal and granted the requested person permission to register an application with a summons for the issuance of a privileged warrant of certiorari, with the aim of cancelling the arrest warrant of 9 June 2026. The application must be registered within 12 days and served on the Attorney General of the Republic.
The decision does not at this stage cancel the arrest warrant or end the extradition process to the US. It does, however, pave the way for the legality of its extradition to be examined, in the light of the jurisdictional issues identified by the Court of Appeal.
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Five hunting dogs, with a total value of €7,500, were stolen from a field in the Limassol district. A 22-year-old Turkish Cypriot is wanted for the case, while information being investigated by the Police states that he may have gone to the occupied territories with the animals.
According to the complaint, which was submitted yesterday by the 41-year-old owner of the dogs to the Pachna Police Station, the animals were in a field on the territory of the community of Agios Therapontas, from where they were stolen.
As part of the police examinations, testimony emerged against a 22-year-old Turkish Cypriot, who lives in the province of Paphos and is wanted by the Police. It is reported that the wanted man may have gone to the occupied territories with the dogs.
Investigations continue with the aim of locating and arresting him, as well as locating the animals.
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The 36-year-old son-in-law and his best man, who are in custody as part of the investigations into the wedding drift at the Linopetra roundabout, are expected to be released this afternoon, as their detention order expires. However, the racing car recorded in the video in question is still being sought, with the investigators of the Limassol Traffic Police continuing the examinations to locate it.
In the meantime, yesterday additional car parts were handed over to the Limassol Traffic Police, in an attempt to document that they belong to the frame that was previously delivered. Those involved claim that these are parts of the racing car used in the dangerous manoeuvers and drifts at the roundabout. It is recalled that the 36-year-old groom had handed over a dismantled car frame, which he indicated as the vehicle used in the incident.
According to information, among the parts delivered are cushions and other car parts, which were allegedly presented as parts of the vehicle in question, which was dismantled after the incident. However, the members of the Traffic Police have not been convinced so far that the frame and components correspond to the racing car recorded in the video.
At the same time, investigators are looking for the trailer drivers who blocked the exits at the Linopetra roundabout, while material from closed surveillance circuits is also being examined, as part of the effort to ascertain the route followed by the vehicle before and after the dangerous demonstration.
The investigations of the Limassol Traffic Police continue with the aim of identifying the real racing vehicle.
