Student caught with nearly 1kg of drugs in Lefkosia sent to prison for 80 days

Lefkosia, north Cyprus – An individual who was apprehended with 970 grams of packaged narcotics ready for sale during a police operation in Lefkosia, has been remanded in custody for a period not exceeding 80 days. While the suspect admitted to drug-related charges, he denied accusations of residing in the country without legal status.

The suspect identified as BMI, a Nigerian national was brought before the court again on Friday June 20 following the operation conducted by the Lefkosia Police.

The police in court testimony stated that on June 10, 2025, a police team from the Narcotics and Anti-Smuggling Directorate, along with the Crime Prevention Unit of the Lefkosia Police Department, seized 970 grams of drugs in 36 transparent plastic packets in the Hamitköy area, believed to be ready for street-level distribution.

According to the officer, the suspect confessed during questioning that he had received the drugs on June 9, 2025, from a location in Lefkosia and brought them back to his residence. He also admitted to his involvement in drug trafficking.

Further investigation of the suspect's mobile phone revealed an image of a precision scale. When questioned about it, he gave a second statement, claiming he had received 244 grams of drugs from an individual in May 2025 and delivered it to another person in exchange for 600 Turkish Lira.

A migration status check revealed that the suspect had been living in the country illegally since November 30, 2022. Despite this, the suspect reportedly denied the charge of unlawful residence while admitting to the drug-related offenses.

The police stated that the suspect had not been enrolled in any educational institution or employed during the past two and a half years.

The police informed the court that analysis of digital evidence obtained from the suspect’s phone is ongoing and that investigative reports are still pending. He requested the court to remand the suspect for up to 80 days to allow time for the case file to be completed.

After reviewing the testimony presented, the judge ruled that the suspect be held in prison for a period not exceeding 80 days pending further investigation.