Drug squad arrest Limassol businessman

Police arrested a local businessman in Limassol in connection with a drug bust earlier this year, following on new witness testimony in the case.

The suspect, described as a 57-year-old Greek Cypriot male, was detained on Thursday on an arrest warrant on suspected involvement in a drug trafficking case earlier this year.

Law enforcement officers, who went to execute a search warrant at the suspect’s residence in Limassol, also found two unregistered guns and three magazines, for which he did not have a permit.

The suspect reportedly denied all allegations against him, including charges related to illegal possession and drug trafficking. He was expected to appear before a distrcit judge on Friday for a remand hearing.

Police sources told Knews the man was suspected in the past but there had been no evidence against him. Six others were detained in March 2019 during a large-scale police operation in Limassol that uncovered 100 kilos of cannabis from Canada.

Three Greek Cypriots and three foreign nationals, a Bosnian and two Nigerians, were busted after some 40 boxes were found to contain the large quantity of cannabis in over 350 packages inside a container. The drugs had been placed between sheets of plasterboard according to reports.

Four of the men, aged 49, 42, 36 and 30, were caught unloading the boxes in Ypsonas while two other suspects aged 49 and 48 were later arrested in connection with the case. All six men were later released while another person is wanted by police.

State police in collaboration with law enforcement on the British Bases carried out the operation back in March.