Cyprus police authorities are closely monitoring and assessing the situation following reports that have come to light claiming that the notorious fugitive “Entik” has been arrested in Dubai.

According to a report in the newspaper “O Fileleftheros,” Cyprus is taking a keen interest in the case, as the activities of this individual—who is wanted in Greece for a host of felonies—appear to extend to Cyprus as well.

As the newspaper reports, Cypriot authorities had been taking a wait-and-see approach, as until recently the information from Greece was considered unofficial, in the absence of written and official confirmation from the United Arab Emirates. However, communication between the Cyprus Police and the Hellenic Police (EL.AS.) is ongoing and is already reflected in the events of recent months included in the relevant case file.

The Background
As reported by “Fileleftheros,” based on reliable information from court testimony and sources in Greece and Cyprus, a European arrest warrant issued by the Greek authorities on March 4, 2020, was pending against “Entik,” and an Interpol Red Notice was subsequently issued on April 29, 2025.

In this context, as of May 2, 2024, the Cyprus Police had placed his details on the list of wanted persons, with explicit instructions for his immediate arrest should he be located. Meanwhile, the saga surrounding his extradition is in full swing, as independent sources cited in the report state that “Entik” is in police custody or under house arrest in Dubai pursuant to the Interpol notice, while he himself is attempting, through his legal representatives, to secure his extradition to Russia in order to avoid being handed over to the Greek judicial system.

The Cypriot Connection
According to the same report, “Endik” allegedly directed his criminal activities in Greece and Cyprus from Dubai through local associates. As reported, last May the Cypriot police arrested a couple in Limassol—a 50-year-old woman, who is reportedly a cousin of “Endik,” and her 49-year-old husband.

The couple is alleged to be behind companies registered in Cyprus, through which money was laundered and financial crimes were committed for the benefit of the wanted leader.

The “golden” deposits
Although the couple appeared to the Social Security Services as low-income earners, an investigation into their bank accounts revealed deposits totaling more than 480,000 euros for the period 2020–2026. The analysis revealed large transactions through Revolut accounts, as well as purchases of luxury vehicles.

On June 30 of last year, the couple appeared before the Limassol Permanent Criminal Court, where they pleaded not guilty to the charges against them, and the case is now proceeding to a hearing.

The Bloody War of the “Greek Mafia”
The news of the arrest of “Entik” began to attract intense public attention following a revelatory report by the Greek website Documento, which was republished and analyzed by “Fileleftheros.”

“Entik” is considered by Greek authorities to be the mastermind behind the so-called “Russian-Ukrainian Mafia,” an organization consisting mainly of expatriates from the former USSR. The group began by focusing on the massive smuggling of tobacco products, but its attempt to establish a complete monopoly led to one of the bloodiest turf wars in the underworld.

According to the case file presented by the newspaper, the enforcement arm of the “Entik” organization is implicated in extortion, drug trafficking, and hit contracts targeting top members of the “Greek Mafia.”

Among these is the murder of Yiannis Skaftouros (“Uncle Joe”) in 2022 in Skourta, Boeotia, as well as the murders of Vasilis Roubetis and Dionysis Mouzakitis in June 2023 in Korydallos. Furthermore, the same group is believed to be responsible for the mass execution—with 97 bullets—of Vangelis Zambounis (“Zambon”) in January 2024 in Neos Kosmos, who had been approached by domestic cigarette smugglers seeking protection from the extreme violence of “Entik’s” gang.

The massive operation by the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (DAOE) in Greece has so far led to the arrest of 47 individuals, while the case file as a whole includes an additional 106 defendants. Developments surrounding the definitive confirmation of the leader’s arrest in Dubai are expected to set off a flurry of developments in both Athens and Nicosia.