Two jailed for arms, drugs

Larnaca criminal court on Thursday sentenced two men aged 27 and 23 to four and a half years in jail after finding them guilty of illegal possession of drugs, illegal possession and transportation of a gun and ammunition, and money laundering.

In handing down its sentence, the court said it had taken into consideration the defendants’ immediate admission of guilt, their efforts to break their addiction, as well as their youth, family and financial situation.

It also noted that they had cooperated with authorities, despite not naming the person who has supplied the weapon.

The two were stopped for checks by Larnaca police at Livadia at around 1.00 am on May 3. In their car, police found 10 grams of cocaine and 14 cartridges. The 23-year-old admitted to police that he had bought two guns for protection and a day earlier he and the other defendant together with a friend had carried out target practice at the Kalo Chorio shooting range.

The 27-year-old admitted that the guns were at their friend’s home which police searched. There they found three guns and 40 cartridges.

The friend, an underage girl, was questioned and released.