Police arrest two poachers

Police arrested two men, 36, on Sunday on suspicion of poaching in a banned area in Nicosia neighbouring the buffer zone and failing to stop when flagged down by game wardens.

Game wardens were notified at 7am Sunday about shots heard inside an off limits area near the University of Cyprus campus, neighbouring the buffer zone.

A Game Service patrol went to the area, where it located three individuals hunting with the use of dogs. One of them was carrying a shotgun, police said.

The three men tried to flee at the sight of the wardens, boarding two vehicles without licence plates and driving away.

They were followed by the patrol, which ordered the men two stop. The suspects, however, turned their vehicles towards the patrol, hitting the car and causing slight damage.

After the crash, the two vehicles fled the area towards an unknown direction. Wardens ,however, recognised two of the suspects who were known to them from similar cases in the past. The pair, both Larnaca residents, were arrested later Sunday.

A game warden was slightly injured during the incident and was treated at Nicosia general hospital A&E.