Two jailed for seven and eight years for cocaine trafficking

Two men aged 57 and 22 were on Wednesday jailed for eight and seven years respectively after being found guilty of possessing and trafficking half a kilo of cocaine.

The two were arrested by the anti-narcotics squad (Ykan) on May 16, 2020 when they were spotted exiting the home of a 42-year-old woman holding a paper bag.

Police stopped and searched their car, where they found the cocaine, precision scales and €10,330 in cash. Two other defendants have already been jailed in connection with the same case.

In its decision, Limassol criminal court said the surge in the number of such offences threatens the foundations of society.

“The frequency of such offences, in combination with the large quantities of narcotic substances that are trafficked in a small country such as Cyprus, necessitates sentences that act as a deterrent,” it said.

The number of victims is rising, and the courts have a duty to protect society and especially young people who are more vulnerable to this danger, it added.

In passing sentence, the court took into consideration the seriousness of the offence, their worrying frequency, and the fact that the two defendants aimed to supply the drugs to others.

In mitigation, the court took into consideration their immediate admission and repentance, their clean record, their personal and family circumstances, and particularly for the first defendant, their cooperation with police.

The court said it had also taken into consideration that the two defendants were not the masterminds in the case but had acted as an important link in the drug trafficking chain.