15/01/2008 00:00:00
Cyprus: Couple arrive with 18kg of cannabis in suitcase
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A DUTCH couple were arrested at Paphos airport yesterday after police
found 18kg of cannabis in their luggage.
The seizure is the latest in several drug hauls over the last week,
which has seen over 20kg of cannabis confiscated by police.
Barely a fortnight into 2008, this amount constitutes almost 14 per cent
of the total amount of cannabis confiscated last year (148kg).
The Dutch couple arrived at Paphos airport on Sunday night and were
found to be in possession of 18.121 kilos of marijuana in their luggage.
The 27-year old woman and 25-year old man travelled to Cyprus from
Amsterdam via London.
They were searched after police spotted that the couple were behaving
nervously.
During questioning, the woman admitted her guilt and said she was due to
hand the drugs to a third party in exchange for €8,000.
“We will ask Europol and perhaps Interpol as well for help,” the Drug
Squad (YKAN) Commander said yesterday.
“We know that those who smuggle drugs into Cyprus are in league with
locals. Upon arrival, smugglers receive instructions via mobile phone as
to what their next move will be.”
The couple have been remanded in custody for eight days.
Meanwhile, five men were remanded in custody on Saturday night after
police had intercepted a huge drugs haul on the Larnaca-Kofinou road on
Thursday night.
A 20-year old man from Limassol was also arrested in connection with the
case, which involved two and a half kilos of cannabis.
Police later found over £7,000, along with £23,223 sterling and €111,315
at the suspect’s home.
Also on Saturday, YKAN Limassol apprehended a 23-year-old and a
29-year-old for possession and use of illegal drugs.
In contrast to the massive 18kg haul, the two young men in Limassol were
arrested for just over ten grams.
These were found after the police searched the 23-year-old’s residence,
having secured a court order for a search warrant.
Despite the 29-year-old’s efforts to escape, both suspects were arrested
and remanded.
Cannabis was not the only drug to have been confiscated by the Anti-Drug
Squad over the past few days.
Police arrested and remanded a Polish woman who arrived from Brussels
having swallowed over 1.1kg of cocaine early last week.
The woman had swallowed a stomach-churning 110 small capsules containing
the substance.
She confessed that her plan was to take the class A drug to someone who
would give her €3,200 in return.
Her remand has been extended by another four days.
More than 1,000 people were arrested on drug-related charges last year,
an increase of 25 per cent on 2006.
http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=37003&cat_id=1
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=13151
Author:
via UKCIA
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