International investigation links Kinahan cartel to thwarted murder plot in Cyprus

Cypriot authorities, supported by international law enforcement, successfully thwarted a murder plot targeting British twin brothers, Jamie and Aaron Small, who were vacationing in the Famagusta area. The operation, which began on August 10, was uncovered after a user identifying as “Sponge Jobb” posted a solicitation for hitmen on the encrypted messaging application Signal, offering approximately €87,000 for the killings. A Danish police officer posing as a contract killer infiltrated the communication, eventually leading to the arrest of eight suspects in Cyprus, including one Irish national, two Norwegians, and five Swedes.

Security sources linked to the Irish Times, CIRN, VG, and SVT report that the contract was likely commissioned by high-level criminals connected to the Kinahan cartel. The cartel, a major European cocaine trafficking organization, allegedly outsourced the task to lower-tier criminal networks in Ireland and Sweden to minimize direct exposure. While the targets have since departed Cyprus, international police agencies are currently tracking their whereabouts amid concerns for their safety. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to dismantle the broader criminal network behind the attempt.