By Elisabeth Georgiou
At a time when organised crime appears to be gaining momentum, particularly in Larnaca and Limassol, the Ministry of Justice and Public Order is moving ahead with the creation of a new elite special unit, a task-force style strike team that will report directly to the Minister of Justice.
According to information obtained by Kathimerini Cyprus (K), the unit will be a flexible and operationally autonomous force comprising approximately 60 elite police officers, with a clear mandate: the decisive enforcement of law and order against organised crime, regardless of its origin, structure or mode of operation. The unit will have nationwide authority across all areas of Cyprus under the control of the Republic.
Exclusive information indicates that the establishment of the strike force is now in its final planning stage. The new unit will not be integrated into the conventional police hierarchy, but will instead receive direct instructions from the minister, allowing for faster decision-making, improved coordination and immediate, targeted operations.
The unit will operate on a nationwide basis and will be able to intervene wherever organised criminal activity is identified. According to the same sources, the necessary funding has already been secured, while the legal framework governing the unit’s operation is being developed in cooperation with the Legal Service.
Similar structures have been deployed internationally as front-line tools in the fight against organised crime. The most notable example is Italy’s Direzione Investigativa Antimafia, along with specialised units operating in Spain and France. Their shared characteristics include a limited number of elite personnel, discreet operations, a clearly defined mission and direct institutional backing.
Public concern
The decision to establish the new unit comes amid heightened public concern following violent clashes and serious incidents that have once again raised questions about public safety.
In recent weeks, authorities have been closely monitoring developments not only in Larnaca but also in other districts, amid indications that organised crime groups are attempting to regroup, stake out territory or expand their spheres of influence in an effort to broaden their operations.
Limassol is also under particular scrutiny, while recent information suggests that some activity may be linked to international criminal networks or foreign-based groups extending their reach into Cyprus. This possibility has increased concerns about more complex and interconnected criminal structures.
In recent statements, Justice Minister Kostas Fytiris said the government “fully understands the concerns and anxieties of society regarding the everyday safety of citizens,” describing the fight against rising criminality as a “complex and demanding challenge.”
Operations in Larnaca
Thursday’s large-scale police operations in Larnaca, conducted just days after a violent clash and gunfire erupted some 150 metres from the city’s police headquarters, once again underscored the extent and sophistication of organised crime, as well as the seriousness of the cases currently under investigation.
The operation involved multiple police units, including the Criminal Investigation Department, the Crime Prevention and Suppression Unit, the Aliens and Immigration Service, the Cybercrime Directorate, and strong contingents from the Larnaca Police Directorate. Simultaneous raids were carried out at residential and business premises.
The two businessmen
During the operations, police arrested two well-known businessmen aged 47 and 43, who were remanded in custody for four days. The Larnaca District Court ordered their detention in connection with offences including interference with judicial proceedings, conspiracy and unlawful possession of property.
According to evidence presented in court, the two businessmen had met with the owner of the premises near Larnaca Police Headquarters where last Saturday’s violent clash occurred.
The meeting took place after the incident and was held at a hotel in Oroklini. According to information before the court, it was initiated by the two businessmen, who sought to convey to the premises owner that they were not linked to the 48-year-old currently in custody as the alleged leader of the group believed to have targeted him and his business, triggering the violent confrontation in Larnaca.
Six individuals remain in custody in connection with Saturday’s clash and the gunfire that occurred just metres from police headquarters—five foreign nationals and the alleged 48-year-old ringleader, a Cypriot citizen.
According to court testimony, the group had previously approached the business owner demanding money in exchange for “protection.” When he refused, threats followed. On Saturday afternoon, approximately 20 individuals arrived at the premises, leading to a violent confrontation with the owner and three other individuals.
During follow-up operations on Thursday, searches at the offices of one of the detained businessmen, the 47-year-old, uncovered large sums of cash and cheques. Three individuals were also arrested for acting as unlicensed security guards.
The complainant initially referred to a foreign individual based outside Cyprus as being behind the threats for money, although he later revised this statement.
“Protection” racket unchecked
In a separate coordinated police operation, five individuals aged between 23 and 42 were arrested on suspicion of participation in a criminal organisation, extortion, conspiracy to commit felonies and money laundering.
Searches uncovered cash, jewellery, mobile phones, bulletproof vests, replica firearms and an unlicensed gun, while two vehicles were seized. In court, police described the group as a well-structured criminal organisation operating for at least three years, imposing a regime of fear and “protection” on nightlife venues and other businesses in Larnaca.
Particular emphasis was placed on the role of a 23-year-old professional soldier (SYOP), who is already standing trial for attempted murder in a case dating back to last year involving one of the two businessmen arrested on Thursday. He was rearrested while already being held at the Central Prisons.
According to the investigating officer, videos recovered from mobile phones show the 23-year-old displaying large sums of cash, while in others he is allegedly concealing items believed to be narcotics. Police told the court that he carried out transactions on behalf of the group, with proceeds allegedly passed on to the organisation’s leader.
In a video belonging to another suspect, the individual can reportedly be heard stating that the money shown came from takings at a specific nightlife venue.
Financial investigations revealed that the declared incomes of four suspects are inconsistent with their asset holdings, reinforcing suspicions of proceeds derived from criminal activity.
The court reserved its decision on the continued detention of the five suspects until Monday. Police sources describe the cases as particularly serious, touching on entrenched structures of organised crime.
Read this article in its original Greek here.
