Couple and son held after drug seizure

A LIMASSOL court yesterday remanded a couple and their 19-year-old son in eight-day custody after they were found with over half a kilo of cannabis as well as well as a good deal of ammunition in their home.

The case has put police on high alert and the family is being investigated for any possible links with organised crime.

Drug Squad police conducted a search at the 45-year-old suspect’s home in Kato Polemida in Limassol on Thursday evening following a tip-off, the court heard. As the officers approached, armed with a search warrant, the 45-year-old spotted them and took off. Police said that as the man ran he was seen dropping two packages to the ground, which when collected were found to contain 18.5 grams of cannabis.
A search of the man’s premises, in the presence of his teenage son and his 42-year-old wife, uncovered a number of packages containing a dry plant substance believed to be cannabis, weighing 5,880 grams. Police also found half a pound of explosives, a detonator, 24 pistol cartridges, a pistol loading clip, plastic gloves, weighing scales and 26 manufactured firecrackers.

Following the find, police searched the 19-year-old’s car where they found five packages of a dry plant substance believed to be cannabis and weighing four grams. They also found a rolled up cigarette believed to contain cannabis as well as £471 in cash.
The 19-year-old and his mother were arrested and taken into custody for questioning. His father was arrested and brought to the Drug Squad offices later.
Police intend to search the family’s other property, as well as the Kato Polemidia betting shop which the 19-year-old managed.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, a Limassol court yesterday sentenced 33-year-old Nikos Mavrikios to 12 years in jail after he was found in possession of 6.5 kilos of cannabis, three grams of cocaine and several ecstasy pills last June. During sentencing, the judge said the alarming increase and frequency in these kinds of crimes had played a part in the severity of the sentence in an effort to clamp down on the problem and to prevent similar crimes in future.

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