Soldiers accused of dealing drugs

THREE National Guardsmen were remanded in custody by the Larnaca district court yesterday, suspected of possessing and supplying cannabis to civilians from their camp gate.

Kyriacos Antoniou and Lefteris Loizidou from Livadhia, and Efrem Stavrou from Larnaca, were remanded for eight days. They had been confined to barracks since Friday.

The investigating officer told the court the suspects had turned their army camp — which lies right opposite the court — into a drug-dealing centre. The three soldiers face charges of conspiracy to commit a crime, and possession and supplying of drugs.

The court heard that an array of young people had stopped at the camp gate to buy drugs. The latest incident allegedly took place on Friday, leading to the intervention of police, who had mounted a surveillance team in co- operation with the military authorities.

A young man had stopped at the gate, handed something in and got something back, police said. He was followed by drug squad officers who searched his car. They allegedly found two grams of cannabis and said the civilian told them he had obtained the drugs from the three suspects and nearly always bought from Antoniou.

Police continued their surveillance on Friday afternoon and observed Antoniou and Loizidou leaving the camp in a car, allegedly to buy drugs. When they returned, officers pounced and the court heard that Antoniou tried to run, throwing several packages to the ground.

Four packages were found, containing a total of 15 grammes of cannabis, police said.

They said Antoniou had admitted going to Aradippou with Loizidou to buy the drugs. Police said Stavrou denied any involvement, but the fact he was on duty at the gate at the time put him under suspicion, they said.

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