About 230,000 doses of narcotics have been “withdrawn from society” after Thursday’s massive haul, with the two arrested not considered to be the masterminds, head of Ykan Christos Andreou said on Friday.

Andreou told the Cyprus News Agency that the two were arrested, aged 34 and 26, after an operation that started days ago after a tipoff. They were taken to court on Friday and eight-day remand orders were issued. Both suspects denied any involvement

They are being investigated for illegal possession of drugs with the intention of drug trafficking, illegal possession of explosives and firearms, obstruction of combatting money laundering and conspiracy to commit a crime.

The court heard that the second suspect was facing health issues and suffers from claustrophobia. Thus the court gave instructions that he be taken to Nicosia general hospital for tests and be given the appropriate medical treatment.

On Thursday, members of Ykan placed a vehicle, driven by the first suspect, under surveillance. When he reached the home of the second suspect, the latter along with an unknown person moved towards the car, while a woman was holding the building’s door open. The second suspect and the unknown man loaded five large cardboard boxes into the car. The second suspect then boarded the car and they drove off in the direction of the family home of the first suspect.

The vehicle was stopped by Ykan. The officers found that the boxes contained 287 boxes of 40 firecrackers each, a total of 11,480 firecrackers. The first suspect told Ykan that they were his and he was arrested.

The second suspect was arrested for possession of drugs after he was found with 27g of cannabis, 9g of cocaine, precision scales, two A4 pieces of paper possibly imbued with narcotics and €230 cash.

During the course of investigations, the police searched the sheds at the first suspect’s family house, where they found a travel bag containing 62kg of cocaine, 167kg of cannabis, 14kg of cannabis resin, two firearms and an imitation pistol, 381 e-cigarettes containing the illegal substance THC, €21.765 in cash and two bombs.

The suspects and evidence were taken to Ykan Nicosia at around 11.55pm on Thursday.

Police investigations are ongoing and two more people are wanted.

The court heard that the police were looking for a man and a blonde woman, aged around 50.

The police are also examining CCTV footage from the area to identify other people coming and going from the house.

Furthermore, 22 people will be questioned and telephone and bank data are being analysed.

During Thursday’s raid of a house in Strovolos, police found 233.5kg of cannabis and cocaine, along with 11,640 firecrackers, three pistols, two handmade bombs, over 30 bullets and around €13,500 in cash.

Andreou said the firearms will be examined to determine if they have been used in criminal actions in the past.

He also said it was not known where the drugs had been sent from and that investigations were continuing to determine “where they came from, who brought them and where they were destined for”.