A 28-year-old man was remanded in custody for eight days on Saturday by the Limassol District Court after he was arrested on Friday for forcing a 26-year-old man to sell drugs.
The 26-year-old reported to police on Friday that the 28-year-old threatened him because he owed him money since 2016.
The suspect was taken to court on Saturday morning and was charged on 15 different counts, including usury, bribery, kidnapping, supplying narcotics, illegal possession of a firearm and explosives, legalising income from illegal activities, and assault.
The court heard that the 26-year-old borrowed €9,000 from the suspect in 2016 and never signed a written agreement for repayment. The man was unable to meet the payments the two had agreed.
According to authorities, the 28-year-old then proceeded to take the man to a deserted area in Limassol, attack him, threaten him with a knife, and demand €15,000 to repay the loan.
The 26-year-old also told authorities that the suspect forced him to sell cannabis daily at a certain spot in the Ayios Nikolaos area of Limassol, and that he was monitored by the 28-year-old by a camera the suspect had set up in the area.
The court also heard that the suspect asked the 26-year-old to run an illegal casino and to collect the largest amount of the income. The casino was raided by police and shut down.
The 26-year-old also told police that the suspect asked him to collect a package in another incident. The package, the man said, contained a firearm and 50 bullets.
He told police that when he delivered the package to the 28-year-old man, the suspect threatened to kill him and his family with the gun if he did not continue selling drugs.
Limassol police spokesman Ioannis Soteriades said that following the man’s arrest investigations were conducted in three other buildings owned by the suspect. He said police found and seized a pistol, €3,750, a full 9mm cartridge, cartridges for a rifle, and 0.5g of cannabis.
Police also seized CCTV cameras set up at the suspect’s home, after they determined he was recording public spaces.
Police have dealt with the suspect in the past for other reasons. According to authorities, he is unemployed and receives state aid.
