Israeli and Palestinian Couples Arrested in Cyprus Drug Bust

Cypriot police have arrested two Israeli couples and two Palestinian couples in Limassol, Cyprus, in connection with the seizure of over 126 kilograms of illicit drugs. The four individuals, two Israelis and two Palestinians, were detained after searches of two properties on Tuesday. A Cypriot court has ordered their remand in custody for eight days as the investigation continues.

Authorities believe the suspects are part of an organized network smuggling drugs into Cyprus from Israel, utilizing luxury yachts docked in Limassol and Larnaca. The drugs were allegedly concealed within buckets intended for paint.

During the searches, police discovered 34 grams of cocaine, 246.5 grams of ketamine, 15 grams of methamphetamine, and 12 grams of MDMA in the first apartment, belonging to a 53-year-old man and a 51-year-old woman. In the second apartment, occupied by a 50-year-old Palestinian man and his 31-year-old wife, police found the bulk of the seizure: 126 kilograms of ketamine.

Mobile phones were confiscated from both residences. According to Cypriot police, the drugs were stored at the two locations before being distributed to Israelis residing in Cyprus, rather than to locals. The investigation is ongoing to identify further members of the smuggling ring.