Appeals court increases sentences for methamphetamine possession in Nicosia

On September 30, 2026, the Court of Appeal in Cyprus issued a unanimous decision increasing the prison sentences for two individuals convicted of possessing 211.10 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to supply. The court ruled that the original sentences handed down by the criminal court were manifestly inadequate given the gravity of the offences.

The appeals filed by the Attorney General of the Republic were accepted, resulting in the first defendant’s sentence increasing from four to 5.5 years, and the second defendant’s sentence rising from 3.5 to five years. The defendants had pleaded guilty to conspiracy and the unlawful possession of a class A controlled drug. One of the individuals also faced an additional charge for overstaying his residence permit. The narcotics were discovered during a police search of a residence in Nicosia, where the drugs were located in a bedroom.

The criminal court had initially issued lighter sentences, citing the second defendant’s age and clean criminal record, while noting the first defendant’s prior convictions. The Attorney General challenged these terms as insufficient, leading to the current revised sentencing.