Fanieros club raided for gambling

POLICE swooped on two suspected gambling dens in Larnaca in the early hours yesterday, making 25 arrests.

According to a police announcement, Antonis Fanieros, 58, and his son Loucas, 30, were among the 15 people arrested at Fanieros’s club during a raid shortly after 5am.

In May 1997, Antonis Fanieros narrowly survived a drive-by machine-gun attack outside his Larnaca club. Last year, Loucas Fanieros survived a sniper attack in Larnaca.

Both attacks were described by police as attempted gangland hits.

Police said yesterday they found evidence that the 15 men had been involved in illegal gambling at the club.

About four hours earlier, police had raided the Macedonia club, making ten arrests on suspicion of similar illicit activities.

All 25 suspects were later charged with illegal gambling and released.