Woman arrested at Larnaca airport for allegedly promoting property sales in north

Police arrested a 49-year-old woman on Sunday, as a suspect for promoting property sales in the north on Greek Cypriot land.

The woman, from an EU country, was arrested at Larnaca airport when she arrived, as police had issued an arrest warrant for her.

According to police, the woman was arrested around midday.

The woman is the second property promoter to be targeted, with an arrest warrant out for German man living in the north, who was meant to give testimony to police but never showed.

The German promoter was initially expected to give testimony in the Republic at 3pm at the end of June.

However, Turkish Cypriot press reported that Josef Rikels had earlier filed a request through his lawyer to avoid giving statements to Greek Cypriot police, citing illness. The police rejected his request, insisting on his appearance.

Rikels’ legal representative changed from Alpan Uz to Tarik Kadri, who works with a large property developer in the north, reportedly close to Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar’s UBP party.

His role involves attracting foreign buyers for properties in the north.

Tatar’s office is also reported to be intervening in the specific case, which is why there was a change of legal representation.

Last week, Israeli businessman Simon Mistriel Aykut, who is suspected of developing properties worth €43 million in the north on Greek Cypriot land and was arrested in the Republic on June 8, has been remanded in custody until his case is heard in Nicosia criminal court on September 9.