The most likely scenario for the drugs found in Protaras

Stelios Sergides, deputy commander of the YKAN, told CNA that 340 kilos of cannabis, 38 kilos of cocaine, 3.5 kilos of ecstasy pills, and 4.5 kilos of methamphetamine were seized in Cyprus in 2022, with the number of drugs increasing over the previous five years.

"From the data we have up to November 30, 2022, there are increased seizures of all drugs, specifically 340 kilograms of cannabis, over a kilogram of cannabis resin, 38 kilograms of cocaine, 3.5 kilograms and 156 ecstasy pills, approximately 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1.5 kilograms of synthetic substances, and smaller quantities of other substances," he explained.

He went on to say that "compared to the previous five years, there has been an increase in the number of drugs detected in Cyprus in 2022, with large quantities of drugs arriving primarily via Larnaca airport, postal parcels, and the port of Limassol."

In response to a pertinent query, Mr. Sergides expressed satisfaction with the YKAN's actions, explaining that "as Police, we aimed to seize drugs before they reach the market, i.e. drug traffickers and dealers. It is important that we arrested people who played an important role in drug trafficking who seem to be involved in other forms of crime."

The Deputy Commissioner of the YKAN responded to a different question by saying that "the largest quantities of drugs came to Cyprus from third countries via Central Europe" and that "based on studies that have been done, it seems that there has been an increase in the number of cannabis users in Cyprus."

Meanwhile, Sergides stated that the Service's investigations into the discovery of drug packages on beaches in the free Famagusta province are ongoing in order to identify where these packages have washed up on beaches in Protaras since December 20.

"So far, the sea has washed away approximately 42 kilos of resin cannabis, and we have informed neighboring countries and asked them to inform us if they are experiencing similar incidents on their own beaches," he said.

"A message was sent before Christmas to Interpol and Europol to inform them and also to answer us whether they know anything about the case; to date, we have received no response from these two organizations," he added.

"We do not know who or who dumped the drugs into the sea," he added, "but we speculate that this was done at sea, that is, by a ship passing through our area, and the packages were washed up on beaches in both the occupied areas of Cyprus and the free province of Famagusta."

In response to a question, Mr. Sergides replied that "specifically on 21 December 5 kilos of cannabis resin were found on a beach in the Protaras area, on the 22nd of the month 29 kilos, on 30 December 3 kilos, on the 31st of the month 2 kilos and on 2 January of the New Year 3 kilos".

He also stated that "coordinated police patrols on the beaches of the free Famagusta province have been increased in the hope of possibly detecting other drug packages."