With the testimony of two more prosecution witnesses, the trial continued on Tuesday before the Nicosia Criminal Court, with Giorgos Christodoulou, also known as “Zavrantona,” regarding the importation and possession of more than 15 kilograms of cocaine with the intent to distribute.

The two prosecution witnesses—members of the Headquarters’ Narcotics Unit—testified about the surveillance operation, execution of a search and arrest warrant for Aristos Kyprianou and Giannis Andreou on January 16, 2026, in Lakatamia for possession of approximately 15 kilograms of cocaine, in which they participated. Among other things, they identified the military bag, which was presented as evidence, as the one carried by Kyprianou and which contained the drugs.

YKAN Headquarters Sergeant Erotokritos Papanagiotou, stated that he was outside Andreou’s residence in Lakatamia and that he saw Andreou and Kyprianou arrive at the residence in Kyprianou’s vehicle, enter the residence, and Kyprianou enter, carrying a military bag, and then exit carrying the bag and place it in the passenger seat. The witness stated that Kyprianou told him the bag contained 14 kilograms of cocaine and pointed out the packages inside the bag.

Defense attorney Christos Poutzouris raised an issue regarding the bag’s contents, arguing that the bag brought into the house was not the same size as the one taken out. The witness stated that it was the same bag with the same volume, to which Mr. Poutzouris replied that this was mere speculation because he did not know what was inside the bag.

The witness noted that what Kyprianou told him was in the bag—14 kilograms of cocaine—was mentioned only after he had left the house.

The second prosecution witness to testify, Sergeant Anastasios Konstantinou, who also serves at the YKAN Headquarters, stated in his testimony regarding the same operation on January 16, 2019,  which was organized following a tip that the two arrested men had gone to pick up a large quantity of drugs.

He stated that he knocked on the door of Andreou’s home and that, when no one answered, he forced it open and entered the house, informing Andreou that he was executing a search warrant and that he was obstructing a police officer in the performance of his duties. According to the witness, Andreou told him that he hadn’t opened the door because the drugs were cocaine and belonged to him, as well as the one he threw away—a piece that landed in the yard of a neighboring house—and those in Kyprianou’s possession.

He also said that two phones were found, which were receiving calls, and that Andreou asked the witness to check who was calling him. The witness told the court that there were calls from various people, including Zavrantonas, who, as the witness stated, also sent text messages asking Andreou where he was and to call him. The witness said he saw this information by looking at the cell phone screens without interfering with the phones in any way.

Mr. Poutzouris asked during cross-examination whether he kept a log of his activities regarding this specific case, to which the witness replied that there was nothing significant to record in an activity logand that he had given a statement.

The defense attorney asked the witness what Michalis Katsounotos’s connection was to the case in question in 2019, to which the witness replied that he did not understand the question. Mr. Poutzouris asked him who his superiors were at YKAN in 2019 when the arrests in question took place, and the witness said that Mr. Katsounotos was one of his commanders but that he did not recall when.

Mr. Poutzouris argued that they did not know what was in the bag until Kyprianou placed it in his car. The witness reiterated that they had information about the movements of the two arrested men and that this was important.

Mr. Poutzouris asked whether this information had been provided verbally, and the witness replied yes; in response to another question, he said he did not know who had this information in writing.

The defense attorney also asked the sergeant who “Nicholas Asteria,” who was among the people from whom Andreou received calls after his arrest, to which the witness replied that he did not know.  Mr. Poutzouris asked why they did not investigate who this person was, as they had done for the defendant. The witness said he did not know and that he was not the one who had investigated who had called Andreou.

During cross-examination, Mr. Poutzouris asked both witnesses why the arrests were not made before Andreou and Kyprianou arrived at the former’s home, since they had been following them from the highway all the way to Lakatamia. The two witnesses stated, each during their own cross-examination, that the interception would take place provided the right conditions existed, but it was not deemed that these conditions existed before their arrival at the house, since not all members of the Force participating in the operation were at the same location.

The next court dates were set for July 16 at 9:30 a.m., and July 17 and 21. The representative of the prosecution, Vasilis Bissas, stated that Yiannis Andreou (MK1) will be among the next two prosecution witnesses.

Source: CNA