Businessman Stavros Dimosthenes was gunned down in his car, which was being driven by his 18-year-old son, in Limassol on October 17, 2025. Investigators believe the killing is linked to a gang run by a fugitive known as ‘Edik.’ [Cyprus News Agency]
Greek and Cypriot authorities are investigating the activities of a suspected crime racket led by a fugitive known as “Edik” on Cyprus. Cooperation intensified following a series of violent incidents in Larnaca and Limassol.
Greek Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis visited Cyprus in early December with officers from Greece’s Organized Crime Unit to share expertise. The meeting followed October consultations between Cypriot police and Greek counterparts.
Investigators believe Edik’s group, composed of individuals from former Soviet states, shifted operations to Cyprus after a crackdown by Greek authorities in 2025. The gang is implicated in four murders in Greece between 2022 and 2024.
Key incidents in Cyprus include the October 17 killing of businessman Stavros Dimosthenes, 49, shot while his 18-year-old son drove. Two 28-year-old suspects from Georgia were arrested in Thessaloniki. Additional incidents involve luxury car arsons in Limassol and a New Year’s Day hotel shooting, possibly extortion-related.