Perhaps the largest quantity of armaments and ammunition, which has been detected to date in Cyprus, was found yesterday by the Police in the Oroklinis cemetery, in an operation planned after information that armaments were expected to be moved to the area. This was stated today at a press conference by the Police Spokesman, Christos Andreou, underlining that with the detection of this material, it seems that not one, but several criminal actions were prevented.
Mr. Andreou noted that two people have already been arrested in relation to the case, a 46-year-old and a 35-year-old, who were spotted by the police at the cemetery. The two suspects were brought before the court today, which issued a warrant of arrest against them for a period of eight days. At the same time, the Police continues to examine the material that was found. Mr. Andreou, responding to journalists' questions, said that all possibilities are being considered regarding the origin and the purposes for which the armament was intended.
As the Police Spokesperson explained, following information that weapons were expected to be moved to the area of the Oroklini cemetery, discreet monitoring of the area was carried out, as part of the Police's operational plan, and yesterday at noon two persons were identified who had approached with their vehicles the cemetery.
One of the two men, a 46-year-old man, was seen entering the cemetery and then taking a bag from a grave. Members of the Police, when they stopped this person and checked the bag, found that it contained various items, including a shotgun, 500 bullets in 10 packs of 50 and a pistol. "These items were received and the 46-year-old was arrested for a spontaneous offense initially," noted Mr. Andreou.
Subsequently, a grave inside the cemetery was searched, in which military weaponry was found, including an anti-tank launcher with three projectiles, a number of rounds, improvised explosive devices, one of which was connected to a mobile phone and was ready for use, according to the tests carried out by police pyrotechnicians, as well as a silenced pistol.
The pyrotechnicians undertook from the first moment to handle the findings also for safety reasons, as explained by Mr. Andreou, while the investigations continued more extensively today, in case other objects of a similar type were found, although nothing else was found.
To a journalist's question about the origin of the armament, as well as whether this material has been used in Cyprus or elsewhere, he said that all this is being investigated, as today the armament has been sent to various forensic laboratories and the ballistics department of the Police Headquarters.
"Their origin is being investigated, these are dangerous objects both due to their type and quantity", noted Mr. Andreou, adding that "it seems that criminal actions have been prevented". He also said that the fact that the 46-year-old had gone to the cemetery at the given moment to receive part of the amount of objects, is being investigated if it is connected to a planned criminal act.
The Police Spokesperson noted that the investigations are in the very early stages and there are many unanswered questions. When asked by a journalist if there are any suspicions of an illegal arms trafficking ring in Cyprus, Mr. Andreou replied that at the moment nothing is ruled out, as there are no specific directions in the initial stages of the investigations.
When asked if there was information that some criminal action was being prepared, Mr. Andreou said that there was no information about a specific criminal action, but there is other information, which he did not want to mention, wanting to preserve the course of the investigations, as he said. "It is a very serious case, which needs a serious and thorough investigation and any details mentioned at this time may cause damage to the investigative work," he noted.
Asked if the suspects have engaged the Police again, he replied that one of the two had engaged the Police, but for other types of cases. When asked if a connection with the assassination attempt in Anthoupoli is being investigated, he replied that anything that emerges along the way is being investigated. "Anything that comes up, whether for the testimony of other persons, or if there are other persons involved in the possession of these objects, we will act accordingly," he noted.
When asked if the armament is connected to the prisons, he said that "nothing is excluded, everything is open".
He reiterated that there are no specific directions, but there is specific information that is being investigated, but it is not for public reference. When asked if there is a suspicion of planned terrorist acts, the Police Spokesperson said that they are more oriented towards a criminal act, as there is no information that points in the direction of the terrorist act.
Source: KYPE
