US donates underwater camera to help fight crime

U.S. AMBASSADOR Ronald Schlicher said yesterday that Washington continued to value Cyprus in the joint effort to combat terrorism, proliferation and organised crime.
During a ceremony at Limassol port for the donation of an advanced under-water camera by the US to Cypriot Marine Police, Schlicher spoke about how the US and Cyprus continued to work closely together in many areas.

The camera, which is worth about $40,000, can be used for the detection of hazardous material and objects that are not visible to the naked eye. The objects – explosives, drugs etc – are usually hidden underwater either in ports or on the sides of ships.

Currently divers go down to examine the ships but the camera, which zooms across the water and dives to a depth of 90 metres can transmit underwater pictures to a special screen. Divers can then head straight to the suspect area to examine the located objects.
”We are working together very closely to enhance our collective ability in the world community to protect our borders, to deter terrorists, to combat organized crime of many sorts, to improve emergency preparedness and to stop the proliferation of weapons. We in the US regard Cyprus as an important partner in these efforts,” Schlicher said.

“We continue to value Cyprus as a close partner in our joint struggles against terrorism, against proliferation and against organised crime and we look forward to further join efforts to helping increase the safety and wealth fare of the citizens of both our nations.”
Police Deputy Chief Iacovos Papacostas said organised crime and particularly terrorism were among the biggest threats that the world community is faced with today.
“Cyprus Police have an important role to play in the field of preventing and combating terrorism and international organised crime, as well as for the protection of innocent human lives.”

“By constantly upgrading police equipment and infrastructure and enhancing the knowledge skills of our members with the valuable assistance of the US government we can contribute effectively to our common goal which is none other but to save human lives by preventing and combating crime and in particular terrorism”, Papacostas said.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.