Remand for man suspected of trying to smuggle 6.5kg of cocaine through Limassol port

A 56-year-old man was remanded for eight days on Saturday after being arrested on suspicion of smuggling 6.5 kilos of cocaine into the country.

The drugs were found on Tuesday in a shipping container in Limassol after the drug squad (Ykan) received information that a shipment of A4 paper contained an amount of drugs.

After securing a search warrant, police seized five packages containing cocaine and weighing a total of 6.5 kilos.

Further checks reportedly showed that the shipping container they were found on arrived from Piraeus port to Limassol, and the packages, concealed in pallets, were heading for a warehouse that had been rented out by one of the suspects.

The drugs were replaced with replicas and the delivery went ahead, leading police to the 56-year-old recipient, who was then arrested.

The man was arrested on Friday and faced Limassol district court on Saturday, which ordered he be remanded for eight days.

He is facing being charged for illegally importing drugs, intent to supply, and for receiving money from illegal activities.

According to reports, the suspect told police that he had met in Athens with an individual who offered to pay him to receive the shipment.

He reportedly claimed that he had been misled into thinking the packages would contain duty-free cigars.

He also implicated a third person, with whom he reportedly met when he got back to Cyprus, who gave him instructions on receiving the packages, showed him the warehouse and gave him a key.

Ykan will continue investigating the case and may consider turning to Interpol for help locating the two other suspects.