Sarides arrested in Crete

A dangerous and wanted man according to Cyprus police, Haris Sarides, was arrested Wednesday night by Greek authorities in Crete.

Sarides, aged 34, is suspected of carrying out several bank robberies with his partner-in-crime 33-year-old Charalambos Kalogerides, who is now incarcerated in Cyprus.

The arrest took place around midnight outside Heraklion.

The two men were also on the run after trying to split from a gang that was under the control of Moscow.

Charges against Sarides include conspiracy to commit crime, armed robbery, illegal gun possession, illegal possession of explosives, burglary, and several counts of theft between December 2017 and and March 2018.

Sarides was also arrested on charges pressed against him by Greek authorities.

Russian mob connections

The Kalogerides arrest back in March, along with five foreign nationals – four women and one man, took place inside a residence in Larnaca's Turkish Cypriot borough, which was under close surveillance by police. 

The residence belonged to the mother of Ernest Leonides, who was murdered in Limassol back in February in what some believe might have been a hit linked to the Russian mafia.

Some media sources suggested Kalogerides and Leonides were cousins.

Kalogerides said that he feared for his life following his arrest, saying he is worried that the Russian ‘Vory v Zakone’ mafia is well connected on the island including inside the prison.