Two men remanded in custody over alleged Cyprus murder-for-hire plot

Famagusta, Cyprus. A 33-year-old Norwegian and a 35-year-old Irishman will remain in custody until trial over an alleged murder-for-hire plot, the Famagusta criminal court confirmed on Thursday. They face charges of conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit a felony and participation in a criminal syndicate.

Arrests and deportations

The two men were arrested at the end of August in a joint operation involving a Danish police team, after Europol passed on information about planned paid assassinations in Cyprus.

The investigation prompted police operations in Larnaca and Famagusta, where three suspects were arrested, while a further five were detained in Paphos.

Six other suspects arrested in connection with the case — one Norwegian and five Swedish nationals — have since been deported to their home countries.

Alleged targets

Danish authorities alerted Cypriot police through Europol to an alleged plot targeting British twin brothers Jamie and Aaron Small, identified by the Liverpool Echo as former MMA fighters who had been staying in the Famagusta area.

The brothers are believed to have left Cyprus. Merseyside police are assisting Interpol in efforts to locate them.

Reports on alleged plot

A joint investigation by the Irish Times, the Cyprus Investigative Reporting Network, Norway’s VG and Sweden’s SVT reported that Irish security sources believe the alleged plot was commissioned by people connected to the Irish Kinahan organised crime cartel.

According to the investigation, the plan emerged on August 10 when a user using the pseudonym “Sponge Jobb” offered cryptocurrency payment through the encrypted platform Signal for a contract killing within the European Union.

An undercover Danish officer posing as a hitman was reportedly given photographs of the twins and told that firearms had been sourced from Turkey, before being directed to collect payment in Ayia Napa.