Nicosia, Cyprus. The court of appeal has dismissed a 26-year-old man’s appeal against his detention pending trial in an opiates case, upholding an earlier order for him to remain in custody until November.
The man faces several charges, including three relating to the possession and trafficking of poppy pods used to produce opium.
Court decision
In a decision issued on Tuesday and announced on Thursday, the court said the first-instance court had correctly found sufficient evidence that could lead to a possible conviction.
The first-instance court had ordered the suspect’s detention until November, citing a risk of flight. The appellant had argued that the evidence was insufficient to justify his continued custody, but the court of appeal rejected the claim.
Evidence cited
Police testified that they found a package containing four plastic bags of dried poppy pods. A search of the man’s residence also uncovered quantities of a poppy mixture, which he admitted were opiates.
The suspect said that he would not have imported the substances if he had known they were illegal.
Personal circumstances
The court of appeal said the suspect’s personal circumstances, including that he is of Asian origin and has lived in Cyprus for about three years, did not outweigh the public interest.
It dismissed the appeal and ratified the order for the man to remain in custody until his trial before the criminal court begins.
Island-wide operation
The 26-year-old was arrested during island-wide operations targeting drug trafficking. During the operations, 21 people were arrested and approximately 60kg of opiates were seized in quantities ranging from 2kg to 30kg.
