Two Greek arrests linked to Limassol mafia murder to be extradited to Cyprus

Two 28-year-old cousins arrested in Thessaloniki have agreed to be extradited to Cyprus, where they are facing prosecution over the October 17 killing of 49-year-old Stavros Demosthenous in Limassol. Both men, expatriates from Georgia, had been living in Cyprus and fled to Greece shortly after the murder.

The pair appeared before the Thessaloniki Appeals Prosecutor’s Office (Extraditions Department) and consented to extradition. They remain in custody as the process to transfer them to Cypriot authorities begins.

Details of the murder

Demosthenous was shot multiple times while traveling with his 18-year-old son, who was driving. The attack took place about 400–500 meters from their home. A stolen white van with fake license plates stopped the vehicle; the assailants fled on a motorcycle, one wearing a jockey hat and the other a helmet and backpack. The van was later found burned.

Authorities have described the murder as a likely contract killing. Two additional suspects, aged 44 and 51, have already been arrested for their involvement in escape vehicles but are not accused of firing the shots.

Links to organized crime

Sources and Hellenic Police officials say the killing may be connected to a network of expatriates from the former Soviet Union, led by a fugitive known as “Entik,” who is currently believed to be in Dubai. The group is reportedly involved in contract killings of Greek Mafia figures, and investigators are exploring whether Demosthenous’s murder stemmed from a clash with the fugitive’s interests in Cyprus.

Another less likely theory suggests a link to Ukraine, related to Demosthenous’s rumored ties to a Russian businessman involved in online casinos.

The extradition of the two men from Thessaloniki marks the next step in what authorities describe as a high-profile criminal case with international implications.