Two admit buying game from Turkish smuggler

TWO MEN were remanded for three days yesterday after they admitted buying fresh fish and game from the occupied areas.

Larnaca District Court remanded Adamos Adamou, 28, and Andreas Georgiou, 33, after hearing that police had found 15 freshly killed hares, 10 wild pigeons and four kilos of fresh fish in Adamou’s car.

Investigating officer Theodoros Sergiou told the court that the men, both from Dhali, were arrested at 11.20pm on Friday when the illegal game was discovered.

He said that the goods had been wrapped in pages from the Turkish newspaper _Hurriyet.

_ Sergiou said police searched Adamou’s car after spotting the two men on the outskirts of Aradippou near the occupied areas. He said police believed the game had been brought through the mixed village of Pyla.

In his statement, Adamou said that he had bought the goods for £240 from a Turkish smuggler who had taken them to Pyla from occupied Famagusta. He accused Georgiou of being the deal’s middle-man.

Requesting the remand, Sergiou said that the police would be investigating charges of the illegal possession of freshly killed game, illegal carrying of products from the occupied areas, and the possible conveying of illnesses from animals in the occupied areas.

He said that the Veterinary Services would examine the game for signs of illness.

Sergiou also told the court that the Turkish smuggler, whom he did not name, would be sought for questioning. He said he was notorious for selling game to the free areas.