‘Sunday market CD pirates’ held

THREE men were yesterday remanded for two days on suspicion of creating pirate CDs and music tapes and selling them at a Sunday market.

The three men, a 44-year-old Moni resident and two Sri Lankan men, aged 38 and 39, were arrested by officers at the Tripoli car park, opposite the Holiday Inn Hotel in Nicosia.

The car park is a particular attraction for Sri Lankan, Filipino and Bangladeshi nationals when it transforms into a market on Sundays.

The market is also barely a minute’s walk from the Nicosia CID Headquarters, situated at Paphos Gate Police Station.

Police officers had approached the two Sri Lankan men and arrested them when they realised they were selling pirated CDs and tapes of Sri Lankan songs.

In total, officers seized 590 CDs and 250 music and video tapes.

Police later visited the apartment of the 38-year-old man, where they found computers and printers that were used to make the pirate CDs.

Defence lawyer Pavlos Erotokritou did not object to the police’s request for a two-day remand.