Dialogos

Cyprus: Urgent Need to Tackle Organized Crime, Government and Police Inaction Criticized

Published January 25, 2026, 08:00
Cyprus: Urgent Need to Tackle Organized Crime, Government and Police Inaction Criticized

The situation with organized crime in Cyprus has reached a critical point, with recent incidents in Larnaca revealing the audacity of criminals and their ability to disrupt daily life. Despite the fact that the government and the police are fully aware of the underworld's activities, there is inaction in addressing the problem. The lack of action is explained, according to the article, by the existence of legal tools to combat organized crime, such as the law on monitoring communications passed in 2020. However, the effective implementation of these tools appears to be lacking. The sale of 'protection' to businesses, through threats and extortion, is one of the main characteristics of organized crime in Cyprus. The Central Intelligence Service and the Police have fully mapped organized crime, knowing the factions, leaders, methods of operation and money laundering channels. Nevertheless, the lack of effective action raises doubts about the state's willingness to tackle the problem. The article concludes that the situation is urgent and requires immediate and decisive action from the government and the police in order to protect society and restore trust in institutions.