A 28-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for Limassol drug trafficking offences involving 2kg of cocaine and 8kg of cannabis.
The Limassol Permanent Criminal Court imposed concurrent 10-year prison sentences on Wednesday after the defendant pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of the drugs and possession with intent to supply.
Drugs discovered in shipment from Greece
According to the facts of the case, officers from the Cyprus Drug Law Enforcement Unit (YKAN), acting on information received, discovered the drugs inside a crate imported from Greece at a courier warehouse in Limassol.
Police arranged a controlled delivery, during which the 28-year-old appeared to collect the shipment and was arrested at the scene.
Court highlights organised drug trafficking
In its ruling, the court noted that the defendant had a previous conviction for cannabis possession and smoking, for which he had received fines.
The Criminal Court emphasised the seriousness of the offences and the urgent need for deterrent sentences, citing an increase in crimes of this nature.
According to the judgment, the defendant acted as an intermediary to facilitate the distribution of the drugs onto the market, following instructions from a third party in exchange for financial gain.
The court found that his cooperation with another individual and involvement in an organised drug trafficking operation made the offences particularly serious.
It stressed that the defendant’s personal circumstances and family difficulties could not justify his actions.
In determining the sentence, the court also considered the substantial quantities and types of drugs involved, as well as the high purity of the cocaine.
Guilty plea and rehabilitation efforts considered
In mitigation, the court took into account the defendant’s personal and family circumstances, his guilty plea and his efforts to overcome drug dependency.
It also acknowledged that his previous conviction involved offences of a similar nature but considerably less seriousness.
The case against the 28-year-old’s co-defendant has been scheduled for a hearing at a later date.
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