Flying Dutchman jailed for smuggling 14kg of cannabis

A TWENTY-four-year-old engaged father of one was sentenced to 12 years in prison yesterday for trying to smuggle almost 14 kilos of cannabis through Larnaca Airport.
Dutchman Sabri Aharar, otherwise known as the “flying Dutchman”, was caught back in May after returning from Holland via Brussels with his suspected accomplice Maurizio Di Pari.

In contrast to Aharar, Di Pari pled “not guilty” to charges of importing cannabis with intent to sell and his trial is still ongoing.

According to police reports, Aharar’s nervous behaviour at the airport had made Drug Squad officers suspicious, so they decided to monitor his movements.

At one point, a third man opened Aharar’s suitcase and placed something inside. The duty officer alerted customs and told them to stop the suspects for a search.

Opening the Dutchman’s suitcase, officers found a hiding place with 15 plastic bags containing a total of 13.8 kg of cannabis.

Aharar initially denied the drugs were his, but he later confessed they were.

He defended his actions by saying a gang of men had taken advantage of his dire financial state and offered him 3,000 euros to deliver the cannabis to a Cypriot man.

Otherwise, he said, they had threatened to harm him.

Meanwhile, 41-year-old Pavlos Zachariou from Xylotympou yesterday gave a voluntary statement regarding his arrest last week for possessing 58.5 kilos of cannabis imported from Holland.

The suspect was led before Larnaca District Court, which renewed his remand for a further eight days.

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