Seven remanded for usury in Limassol

SEVEN people were remanded for eight days by Limassol District Court on Monday in connection with usury and extortion among other offences.

The suspects, including a 31-year-old special constable within the Larnaca police division, were arrested on Saturday, following a complaint from a 44-year-old Limassol resident. Four of the suspects were from Limassol and two were from Paphos.

According to the resident, between 2009 and February 2012 he borrowed various sums of money from the suspects amounting to around €64,000, at an interest rate of 25 to 30 per cent.

However, he said that they had begun threatening him and members of his family to dish out €63,500 along with other assets, despite having already paid out around €167,000 to them.