Police launch clampdown on organised crime
Police in Cyprus have launched a 60-day clampdown on organised crime, with a focus on stepping up night patrols and carrying out coordinated operations and systematic vehicle checks. Crime per capita has risen for the second consecutive year, with offences against property constituting the largest group of offences. Officials of justice and police have been targeted by the underworld, leading to specific instructions for heightened surveillance in 36 geographic areas. Police unions have raised concerns about officers required to work overtime without appropriate remuneration and the inadequacy of staffing numbers and detention facilities.