TWO MEN were arrested by the Drugs Squad (YKAN) in the Nicosia district yesterday in connection with the possession of drugs, pistols and bullets but not before police gave simultaneous car chases, firing warning shots until the two suspects stopped their cars.
According to state broadcaster CyBC, following searches of the cars and other properties belonging to the suspects, police found in total around 20kg of cannabis and 3kg of cocaine, along with two loaded pistols and bullets.
Two Greek Cypriots aged 27 and 34 were arrested, while another two are wanted on suspicion of being part of a drugs gang operating in Cyprus.
Acting on a tip-off, the Drugs Squad set up surveillance of a car in Kornos in the Nicosia District yesterday. At around midday, the 27-year-old went to pick up the car. Police gave chase to the village of Alambra until the suspect finally stopped after warning shots were fired.
YKAN spokesman Sergios Sergides said a large quantity of drugs was found in the car, along with a loaded pistol and bullets of various sizes.
Meanwhile, another YKAN team went to search the home of the 34-year-old suspect in Ayia Varvara. On seeing the police, he allegedly threw a sports bag from a window on to the ground and made off in his car. Police again gave chase, firing warning shots until the 34-year-old eventually stopped on the old Nicosia-Limassol road before the village of Mosfiloti.
According to Sergides, a search of the car revealed a loaded pistol, 85 grams of cocaine and 85 grams of cannabis.
In the dropped sports bag, police found 2kg of cocaine and 200g of cannabis. A further search of the property of the 34-year-old resulted in the confiscation of a grinder with traces of cannabis and cocaine.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, five men were sentenced by the Larnaca district court yesterday after being convicted of importing 21.8kg of cannabis to Cyprus on June 21, 2012.
According to Larnaca Press Agency, the five men are all Greek Pontians from Greece and Kazakhstan. Four were found in a car by YKAN containing two travel bags with 21.9kg of cannabis. Police found 1.8kg of cannabis in the flat of a fifth.
The court yesterday dished out sentences ranging from four to eight years for the five.