Fags haul
LIMASSOL police yesterday found stolen cigarettes worth over £2 million packed into three containers waiting at the town’s port.
Drug Squad officers searched the containers, which arrived from Alexandria two weeks ago, after receiving a tip-off from Interpol that illegal narcotics were to be shipped through the port.
The search began at 9.30 am yesterday. “So far, instead of drugs, police have found three containers containing stolen cigarettes worth over £2 million,” police said in a 6pm statement.
Police said they believed the cigarettes had been stolen from Alexandria port. Documents accompanying the three containers name an Egyptian as recipient, but police believe the man named is fictitious.
Bad road
A LARGE section of the Nicosia-Limassol motorway is deteriorating badly just four months after it was resurfaced and will most likely have to be re-laid, a Communications Ministry probe has found.
The investigation showed that poor quality materials were used for the section of motorway between Latsia and Limbia and blamed both the contractor and government inspectors.
Communications Minister Averof Neophytou yesterday vowed tough action against those responsible. “This state and this government will not let off any who fail to respect the money they enjoy from public coffers either for completion of works or in overseeing them,” the minister said.
Captian held
LIMASSOL police have impounded a Lebanese-flagged boat they believe was being used to ferry illegal immigrants from Lebanon to Cyprus and beyond.
The captain and two-man crew of the Santoriny were arrested on Wednesday and were yesterday remanded for four days by the Limassol District Court. Police say the three sailors have admitted to using the vessel to move illegals, charging up to £1,000 a head.
Illegal immigrants have become an increasing problem for authorities in recent years.
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.
