Paphos woman remanded over €305,000 of stolen goods

The Paphos district court on Tuesday issued an eight-day remand against a 52-year-old woman in connection with a €305,000 case involving the possession of stolen goods and money laundering.

The woman, whose identity has not been disclosed, was brought before the court on Monday, but the remand was issued at 9am on Tuesday.

She is reportedly not cooperating with investigators and has not provided satisfactory explanations regarding the ownership of a significant quantity of gold jewellery found in her possession. Authorities plan to contact victims of theft and burglary to determine if any of the jewellery recovered belongs to them.

The police requested her detention due to the extensive volume of statements from individuals who have been victims of thefts and burglaries, both in her personal and professional circles.

According to a police statement, a thorough search of several premises in Paphos unveiled a large quantity of jewellery. An investigation is ongoing to ascertain if the items discovered by police officers are stolen property.

The search was part of an investigation into the burglary of a jewellery store that occurred in February in Paphos, during which gold and jewellery worth €305,000 were reported stolen. The 52-year-old woman, who owns the premises where the items were found, was subsequently arrested.

Throughout the course of the investigation, evidence emerged linking the woman to various offences, including receiving stolen goods, money laundering, aiding and abetting in the commission of a felony and destruction of evidence.

Following her arrest, searches were conducted at her residence, vehicles, and business premises in Paphos, with her consent. During these searches, the police discovered €18,820 in cash, gold jewellery, diamonds, and other valuable items. The woman failed to provide satisfactory explanations for their possession, leading to her arrest for the on-the-spot offence of illegal possession of property.