Suspects in Larnaca weapons cache bust plead not guilty

Two men, 46 and 35, suspected of hiding weapons in a Oroklini grave pleaded not guilty to the Larnaca Criminal Court on Monday.

Specifically, the two men were charged with conspiracy to commit a felony, i.e. conspiring in Larnaca to commit a felony and move firearms, ammunition and explosives that were in the grave.

The two persons also face five counts of possession and transportation of firearms, one count of possession and transportation of firearm ammunition, seven counts of possession of explosives without a licence and one count of unlawful possession and transportation of a silencer.

It is noted that the 46-year-old also faces a charge of possession of explosives without a licence.

The two persons pleaded not guilty to the charges and the court set September 24 as the date for the continuation of the hearing.

The prosecution requested the detention of the two men until September, but the defence lawyer of the 35-year-old man objected to his detention and requested that he be released.

The court rejected the objection and thus the two persons will remain in custody until 24 September. 

Back in May, one of the two, the 46-year-old man, was seen entering the cemetery and taking a bag from a grave.

Members of the police stopped him and checked the bag, which was found to contain a shotgun, 500 rounds of ammunition in 10 packs of 50 and a pistol.

Subsequently, a grave within the cemetery was searched, in which military-grade firearms were found, including a rocket launcher with three projectiles, several cartridges, improvised explosive devices, one of which was connected to a mobile phone and ready to use, according to tests carried out by the police bomb squad, as well as a pistol with a silencer.

The 35-year-old was also seen removing things from the same grave during the police stake out.