Cyprus keeps ‘Gregorio I’ in detention

The government seems troubled over how to deal with the cargo of a Panamian ship which was detained after police raided the vessel in Limassol after a tip-off from Interpol of a suspected arms cache.

The ‘Gregorio I’, that started its journey in North Korea and China and was headed for the Syrian port of Lattakia, has remained in detention since September 5, after police found 21 trucks on board, of which 18 had mobile radar units, and the cargo also included 2,356 metal pipes of different sizes, leading to suspicions of artillery launchers/

“This is not a political matter,” said government spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardis, probably in an attempt to fend off requests by the Syrian government to release the cargo saying it is for meteorological use.

Deputy Chief of Police Iacovos Papacostas, asked whether the police will “confiscate the military weapons found,” said on Monday that this matter does not concern the Police.

“That is not an issue for the Police. We have concluded our task and it is now an issue for the government,” Papacostas said.