Larnaca criminal organisation trial adjourned after indictment change

Larnaca, Cyprus. The permanent criminal court adjourned a criminal organisation case involving four defendants to November 23 on Wednesday after prosecutors made a substantial change to the indictment. Three defendants remain free on bail, while a 22-year-old police special forces unit member remains in custody.

Charges and defendants

A 42-year-old man now faces charges of money laundering and participation in a criminal organisation. Two 29-year-old men face an additional charge of aiding and abetting money laundering.

The three men were released on bail at an earlier hearing after the court accepted defence objections to their continued detention.

The 22-year-old member of the police special forces unit, SYOP, remains in custody and faces a separate attempted murder charge involving a well-known businessman.

A fourth defendant, a 32-year-old man, was acquitted earlier in the proceedings due to insufficient testimony.

Police operation

The defendants were arrested on January 22 during a police operation in Larnaca and at the central prisons.

Searches of their homes uncovered €1,050 in cash, jewellery of unknown value, mobile phones, two bulletproof vests, two pistols and a baseball bat. Police also seized two vehicles, which were taken to the Larnaca traffic police department for further examination.

A firearm was found during a search of one residence. Subsequent checks found that one of the 29-year-old defendants did not have a licence to acquire or possess the weapon, leading to his arrest.

Wider investigation

The case is part of a Larnaca CID investigation into organised criminal activity in the district. The investigation has also included separate proceedings concerning an alleged protection racket, torture and abduction, and a shooting outside police headquarters in January.