Cyprus is getting its own “FBI,” modeled on the Greek agency

The Ministry of Justice, under Marios Hartsotiis, has approved the creation of the Cypriot Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, modeled on the Greek FBI, following a meeting with Greek Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis.

There is still no fixed timeline, but the Minister emphasized that the goal is to set it up “as quickly as possible.” He noted that for the new agency to be fully operational, it will need a clear legislative framework, suitable facilities, and staffing with highly qualified personnel.

In Greece, the equivalent agency was staffed with the best personnel from the Hellenic Police (EL.AS.) and established immediately via Presidential Decree—something that may be less straightforward in Cyprus due to differences in the legal system.

In its first year of operation, the Greek FBI carried out 1,500 arrests and 550 pre-trial detentions.

It also remains unclear whether the Cypriot agency will adopt the same subdivisions as the Greek FBI or whether its structure will be adapted to the types of crime and legal framework in Cyprus, according to the Cypriot edition of Kathimerini.

During Chrysochoidis’s visit to Nicosia, Hartsotiis highlighted the strong, multi-layered cooperation between Greece and Cyprus. He stated: “Recently, the two Ministries have developed an exceptionally close collaboration, which already appears to be yielding significant and tangible results.”

Source: Καθημερινή Κύπρου