Two men were remanded in custody on Tuesday on what police described as possibly the largest cache of weapons and explosives ever found in Cyprus. The two, aged 46 and 35, were remanded for eight days after the weapons were found on Monday in an Oroklini cemetery.
Unprecedented Discovery
Describing the find as possibly the largest amount of weapons and explosives found to date in Cyprus, police spokesman Christos Andreou said the bust seems to have stopped one or more criminal actions. The bust occurred on Monday when officers of the drug squad Ykan found guns and explosives at the cemetery, some being buried in a grave.
On Tuesday, police said that they had received a tip that the weapons were due to be moved. Andreou said that all possibilities are being examined regarding the origin and purposes for which the arms were intended. However, he did specify that police were not investigating a terrorist attack, as there had not been any information regarding one.
Details of the Operation
He explained that following information that weapons were expected to be moved in the area of the Oroklini cemetery, discreet surveillance was set up as part of police operations. On Monday afternoon, two persons were identified who had approached the cemetery in their vehicles. One of the two, the 46-year-old man, was seen entering the cemetery and taking a bag from a grave.
Members of the police stopped him and checked the bag, which was found to contain a shotgun, 500 rounds of ammunition in 10 packs of 50, and a pistol. “These items were seized, and the 46-year-old man was arrested,” Andreou said.
Subsequently, a grave within the cemetery was searched, in which military-grade firearms were found, including a rocket launcher with three projectiles, several cartridges, and improvised explosive devices. One of these devices was connected to a mobile phone and ready to use, according to tests carried out by the police bomb squad. A pistol with a silencer was also discovered.
Ongoing Investigations
Asked by a reporter about the origin of the firearms and whether they had been used in Cyprus or elsewhere, Andreou said that all this was being investigated. The weaponry had been sent to various forensic laboratories and to the ballistics department of police headquarters. “Their origin is being investigated; these are dangerous objects both because of their type and quantity,” Andreou said, adding that “it seems that criminal acts have been prevented.”
He also mentioned that the fact that the 46-year-old had gone to the cemetery at the time to pick up some of the items was being investigated to see if it was linked to a planned criminal act. The 35-year-old was also seen removing things from the same grave during the police stakeout.
During the hearing for the suspects’ remand, the police investigator said that they will examine CCTV footage as well as monitor National Guard camps to see if there are items missing. Bomb experts will also further examine the explosives that were found and a mobile phone that had been linked to an explosive device to see if there was a SIM card installed.
