Police sweep uncovers illegal gambling and immigrants

TWO illegal workers and a number of unlicenced gambling machines were located on Wednesday during a police sting in the Ayios Antonios area in Nicosia.

Police found eight personal computers used for gambling purposes, coupons for bets on football and dog races, notes mentioning specific individuals and a total of €610 in cash.

Ten firecrackers and a pump containing dangerous gasses were found in the possession of a Romanian woman who said she was in charge of the betting shop.

Three boxes containing syringes and medication suspected to consist of anabolic steroids were sent for further testing.

Police arrested a 40-year-old Cypriot resident of Nicosia in relation to possession of three grammes of suspected cannabis as well as a 39-year-old illegal immigrant.

A Chinese student was also allegedly working there illegally.

The illegal betting shop’s manager, a 47-year-old Cypriot resident of Nicosia, is under investigation for illegal gambling, violation of property rights, employing staff illegally, and the possession of anabolic steroids.

The sting was a joint operation by Nicosia police, CID, the drug squad YKAN, the immigration department and the office against intellectual property violations.

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.