Student remanded for drug possession following police raid in Gönyeli

Lefkoşa, August 5, 2025 — A foreign student in north Cyprus has been remanded in custody for three days following his arrest in Gönyeli, where police discovered a quantity of illegal drugs during a court-authorized search of his residence.

The suspect identified as SCE, a Nigerian national was brought to court on Tuesday August 5.

According to police testimony presented in court, the operation was carried out by the Crime Prevention Unit on August 4, 2025, around 5:30 PM. During the search, officers reportedly found approximately 2 grams of a substance believed to be a controlled narcotic on a table in the living room of the suspect’s home.

The suspect was arrested at the scene and taken into custody for questioning. Authorities stated that a criminal investigation was immediately launched.

The police requested an extension of the suspect’s detention, citing the need to collect further witness statements, review surveillance footage, and await laboratory analysis of the seized substance by the State Chemistry Laboratory.

After reviewing the evidence presented, the judge approved the police’s request, ordering that the suspect remain in custody for an additional three days to facilitate the ongoing investigation.

The case remains under active investigation.