By Yiannis Souliotis
In early December, Greek Minister for Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis visited Cyprus, accompanied by senior officers from Greece’s Organized Crime Division (DAOE). According to the official press release, the purpose of the meetings with Cypriot counterparts was the “transfer of know-how in tackling organized crime in Cyprus.”
Those in the know, however, say this was anything but a routine, courtesy visit between the security officials of the two countries, as many had initially assumed.
Just two months earlier, in October, officers of the Cyprus Police had made what many described as a hurried visit to Athens for meetings with DAOE officials, the service better known as the “Greek FBI.” That meeting was never made public. So what lies behind the increasingly frequent contacts between Greek and Cypriot security authorities?
According to information obtained by Kathimerini, the answer goes by the nickname “Edik.”
That is how the alleged leader of a criminal organization made up of Greek nationals from the former Soviet Union is known in the underworld. Edik is currently believed to be hiding in Dubai and is accused, along with his associates, of orchestrating the murders of four members of the so-called Greek Mafia.
Information and incidents in Larnaca and Limassol point to a clear conclusion: after a series of blows delivered by Greek authorities, mainly throughout 2025, including arrests and prosecutions of members of this group, Edik (who remains at large) and his inner circle shifted their operations to Cyprus.
Armed attacks, arson incidents, and one murder, most of them in Limassol, are being assessed by both Greek and Cypriot police as the “fingerprint” of this group’s presence on the island. Cypriot law enforcement officials therefore sought assistance from their Greek counterparts, who have been pursuing the group closely for the past two years.
The most striking case recorded in recent months is the murder of 49-year-old businessman and football figure Stavros Demosthenous, who was shot dead on October 17 while riding in a car driven by his 18-year-old son. The killing was widely seen as a contract hit, and from the outset, investigators examined the possibility that it was linked to the group of Greek nationals from the former Soviet Union accused of carrying out the executions of Giannis Skaftouros, Vassilis Roumpetis, Dionysis Mouzakitis, and Vangelis Zambounis between 2022 and 2024.
Under this scenario, the interests of the fugitive Edik may have clashed with those of Demosthenous, with the former allegedly choosing to settle the dispute with bullets. Two 28-year-old Greek nationals of Georgian origin were later arrested in Thessaloniki as the alleged perpetrators. Their background did not go unnoticed, and Greek police have remained cautious as to whether the same criminal group was behind the killing.
More recent information suggests that the ongoing investigation has uncovered links and contacts between the two suspects and people in their circle and members of Edik’s group. However, these connections have not yet been formally documented in official police or court records.
Cypriot police also see a possible link to the Demosthenous case in the arson attack on four luxury vehicles in Limassol in late November. According to Cypriot media reports, the cars belonged to a powerful Russian businessman who has been living in Cyprus for several years and had close ties with Demosthenous.
These are not the only incidents that have put Cypriot authorities on high alert. At 6 p.m. on New Year’s Day, unknown gunmen opened fire on a hotel complex in central Limassol. One assailant fired at the building’s facade before fleeing on a motorcycle. The hotel is owned by foreign interests and had not previously drawn the attention of law enforcement, nor, according to some reports, had its Israeli owners.
As for the motive behind the attack, sources in both Cyprus and the Greek police believe it may have been an attempt to extort the owners for “protection.”
Meanwhile, developments continue in Greece as well. On the morning of December 23, police located a 35-year-old Greek national from the former Soviet Union in a safe house in Kalyvia. Greek police describe him as “Edik’s gunman,” and he was wanted under an arrest warrant that included charges of homicide.
Twenty days after the 35-year-old’s arrest, unknown attackers threw a grenade at a grill house in Aspropyrgos. The incident was never made public, but from the outset it was assessed as extremely serious. The reason? According to some information, one of the owners of the establishment is believed to have rented the Kalyvia safe house where the suspect had been hiding.
*Read the Greek version here.
