seized cocaine — seized cocaine — In the ongoing trial of Giorgos ‘Zavrantonas’ Christodoulou, the defence has raised questions regarding the quantity of narcotics presented as evidence, suggesting it may differ from what was seized during a police raid in early 2019.
- Lead prosecutor Vasilis Bissas informed the court that they planned to add two new witnesses to their list, bringing the total number to 22. The defence did not contest this addition.
- The court has scheduled the next hearings for July 30 and July 31, as the trial continues to unfold.
Christodoulou faces serious charges in the Nicosia criminal court, including the importation of 15kg of cocaine with the intent to sell. His case is being retried after the appeals court overturned his December 2022 conviction, which had resulted in a 22-year prison sentence, ordering the proceedings to begin anew.
The original arrest occurred in January 2019, following a period of surveillance. Police apprehended two men, Yiannis Andreou and Aristos Kyprianou, at Andreou’s home in Lakatamia. During the operation, officers discovered an army-style duffel bag containing approximately 15kg of cocaine, which was found in Kyprianou’s vehicle parked outside the residence. Andreou later implicated Christodoulou, alleging he orchestrated the drug smuggling into Cyprus.
On Tuesday, a state lab employee testified for the prosecution, detailing the analysis of the seized narcotics. The witness confirmed that the analysis revealed 14 packages, all containing cocaine, totalling a net weight of 15kg. The cocaine was traced back to South America and was found to be around 75 per cent pure, a level consistent with similar drug cases, which typically range from 75 to 85 per cent purity.
During cross-examination, Christodoulou’s lawyer challenged the witness regarding the specific origins of the substances. The witness admitted she could not determine the exact manufacturing location. She further clarified that the narcotics had undergone DNA analysis prior to being sent to the state lab, but she was unable to pinpoint when they were packaged or produced.
As the defence attorney continued to question the reliability of the evidence, he suggested that the quantity analysed at the state lab might not correspond to what was originally seized by police. The witness, however, affirmed that the items had been sealed.
The defence also highlighted the discovery of two scales that had traces of cocaine and cannabis, raising the possibility of prior samples being involved. The witness acknowledged that this could be the case.
Lead prosecutor Vasilis Bissas informed the court that they planned to add two new witnesses to their list, bringing the total number to 22. The defence did not contest this addition.
The court has scheduled the next hearings for July 30 and July 31, as the trial continues to unfold.
