Police have confirmed that an American citizen – wanted in the US in connection with serious drug charges – has been arrested in Limassol.
The man, who was listed as a fugitive by US prosecutors, had attempted to renew his temporary residence permit in Cyprus. The suspect, believed to be a 36-year-old man of Hispanic descent, has not been named by investigators but media reports say that suspicions were further aroused by information from the US that his family had been planning to fly out to the island.
Acting on information from the US, police officials had been begun staking out the suspect – who had rented an apartment in a complex in Germasoyia.
The man reportedly went on the run last year after failing to appear in court to face drug-related charges and instead fled the country. An international arrest warrant was issued for his capture but the trail had gone cold until the Cypriot authorities were alerted by the man – who they suspected was using an alias.
The charges he faces in the US include trafficking 1,000kilos of marijuana and five kilos cocaine.
On Thursday afternoon, the man was asked to accompany officers to Limassol CID where his true identity was allegedly exposed following consultations with the US Embassy in Nicosia. He initially denied being the wanted fugitive before eventually admitting that he was the man on the run.
The process of extraditing the man back to the US is expected to commence once the green light is given by Attorney General Costas Clerides.
He is expected to appear before a Limassol magistrate on Friday morning where he will is under investigation for forgery, circulating forged documents, illegal residence in Cyprus and identity fraud.
Cyprus Weekly