CYPRUS: Three held after police seize 100 kilos of cocaine

Three people were remanded in custody for eight days by the Limassol District Court on Saturday after the police anti-drugs unit YKAN seized about 100 kilos of cocaine on Friday, the biggest drugs bust in the island’s history.

Two of the suspects, aged 33 and 34, were being followed by YKAN officers and were cut off on Friday driving in two cars, each with a suitcase full of the drugs.
The pair, as well as a third suspect, a businessman aged 42, alleged to be the recipient of the drugs, were charged with conspiracy to commit an offence, import and possession of drugs with intent to supply them to another person.
In Court, the police said that following a tip-off that a large amount of drugs was to be transported from Limassol to Larnaca, members of YKAN followed the two suspects to a parking space in Limassol, where they approached a parked van. One of them got in the parked van and the two cars headed east of Limassol.
Just outside the town, members of the anti drug squad stopped the two cars for a search where they found the two pieces of luggage stuffed with cocaine.
They were arrested on the spot and police also confiscated four mobile phones and documents.
After the two gave evidence to the police, the third suspect from Paralimni was also arrested.
The police told the court that it will seek assistance from Interpol in connection with this seizure.
Police Chief Zacharias Chrysostomou called a press conference late on Friday evening where he said this was a very important case, noting that cocaine is the second most popular drug, after cannabis, used in Cyprus.