Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus police leadership met with the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) on Monday as Cyprus seeks to deepen cooperation with European partners while modernising its response to serious and organised crime.
Meeting ahead of high-level Europol event
The meeting brought together Cyprus police chief Themistos Arnaoutis and Borja Barbosa de Miquel, secretary of the Europol management board. It took place ahead of a forthcoming high-level Europol meeting due to be held in Cyprus during the country’s presidency of the EU council.
Focus on coordination and regional security challenges
Discussions focused on coordination, shared priorities and evolving security challenges facing Cyprus and the broader Levant.
Police 2030 reform programme
The meeting came amid the rollout of the Cyprus police 2030 reform programme, which aims to modernise policing structures, investigative methods and intelligence use. A central element of the reform is a move toward information-led policing, with greater reliance on data analysis and intelligence to address crime proactively.
Planned organised crime directorate
The visit aligned with plans to establish a new directorate for combating organised crime, intended to streamline investigations and improve coordination domestically and with international partners. Europol’s involvement is expected to help shape police operations, particularly in intelligence sharing and operational planning.
Organised crime pressures and threat assessment
Cyprus has faced growing pressure from organised criminal activity in recent years, including cybercrime, fraud, drug trafficking and cross-border smuggling. Europol’s latest organised crime threat assessment for 2025 highlights cyberattacks, illegal migration networks, and drugs and firearms trafficking as key risks affecting the country. Police officials have warned that criminal networks are becoming more technologically advanced and increasingly international in scope, exploiting digital platforms and geographic routes.
What impact do you expect closer Cyprus-Europol cooperation to have on efforts against organised crime?
