Cyprus: 5 Israelis arrested in online gambling case

Ynet learns of five Israel citizens being held in Larnaca on suspicion of operating illegal sports betting website, supplying pirated cable

Reuters | Published: 12.08.09, 13:30

Five Israelis have been held in custody in Larnaca, Cyprus for the past week, after they were detained on suspicion of operating an illegal sports betting website.

Local media reported that the five are also suspected of supplying illegal cable. The Israelis denied all allegations against them.

According to the Cypriot police report, officers arrived at an apartment in the town of Oroklini, near Larnaca, with a search warrant, and uncovered eight satellite dishes which were illegally connected.

Local police suspect that the five Israelis living in the apartment operated an online betting network.

Sergeant Lefki Salomandros, a Cyprus police spokeswoman, told Ynet, "The moment the suspects realized that the police were on to them, they tried to hide evidence, they cut the pirate connections and put and end to their activity."

Salomandros added that other evidence was also collected at the apartment, but that she could not go into detail. According to the sergeant, after police presented the evidence to the court on Friday, it was decided to remand the Israelis by an additional week.

The Foreign Ministry confirmed that five Israeli citizens were detained in Cyprus, but that they have yet to contact the embassy. "If they want aid, we will intervene," a ministry statement said.