Seven of the 26 people arrested during a nationwide police operation targeting organised crime in Cyprus have been remanded in custody, following separate court proceedings in Nicosia.
The Nicosia District Court issued detention orders against the seven individuals as part of investigations into a series of alleged offences, including drug possession and the illegal possession of explosives.
According to an updated police statement, four men aged 30, 34, 37 and 41 appeared before the court in connection with alleged drug possession and related offences. All four were remanded in custody for five days.
In separate proceedings, three other men, aged 33, 35 and 48, appeared before the court in connection with cases involving, among other offences, the illegal possession of explosives.
The court ordered the detention of the first two for five days, while the 48-year-old was remanded for two days.
Regarding the remaining 19 people arrested, police said some had been questioned and charged in writing, with their cases to be brought before the court at a later stage. Others were released pending the completion of further investigations.
Police did not specify how many of the remaining individuals had been charged in writing or how many had been released without charges at this stage.
Arrests across four districts and the Central Prisons
Operation Plegma was carried out nationwide as part of efforts to tackle organised crime, resulting in the arrest of 26 people.
Police operations took place in the districts of Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca and Famagusta, as well as at the Central Prisons.
During 27 searches conducted under court warrants, officers seized €25,025 in cash and 37 mobile phones. They also located a pistol and a hunting shotgun.
Other items recovered included a small quantity of cannabis, two grinders containing cannabis, two partially smoked cannabis cigarettes and approximately 10 grammes of cocaine.
Police also seized 13 rounds of ammunition of various calibres, 534 hunting cartridges, eight precision scales, 354 firecrackers, 456 flares, 22 fireworks, 192 sparklers and two smoke canisters.
Property and financial assets targeted
The operation also focused on the financial dimension of suspected criminal activity, with police seeking to identify and freeze assets believed to be linked to illegal activities.
Working with the Unit for Combating Money Laundering (MOKAS), police secured court orders freezing a house, plots of land and several vehicles.
The assets included 10 cars and two motorcycles, with a combined estimated value of approximately €400,000. A further €100,000 in funds has also been frozen so far.
In earlier comments to the newspaper Politis, Head of the Organised Crime Directorate Christos Andreou said that asset freezes linked to the operation amounted to €750,000.
The investigation remains ongoing.
