Man arrested for entering north Cyprus illegally to shoot a business man

A man who entered north Cyprus from Turkiye illegally by hiding in a truck was found to be a hit man sent to kill an individual after he was caught in Kyrenia with a gun and live bullets in his possession.

The suspect, Ünal Sivri, a 35-year-old man was arrested by Turkish Cypriot police at around 12:30 pm on Monday December 30 during a police operation tagged "No Passage Operation"on Sedat Simavi Street in Kyrenia.

The police said the suspect came to Northern Cyprus to target a businessman when he was arrested.

He was brought to court on Tuesday morning.

Police officer who presented the facts in court stated that on December 30, 2024, at around 12:30 PM, the suspect was identified riding a motorcycle on Sedat Simavi Street in Kyrenia during the coordinated "No Passage Operation" carried out by teams from the Crime Prevention Branches of the Lefkosia and Kyrenia Police Departments. 

The officer revealed that a handgun, a magazine belonging to the handgun, and six live bullets were found in the possession of the suspect, Ünal Sivri. An investigation was initiated following his arrest.

The investigation determined that the suspect had entered the country hidden in a truck through the Famagusta Port during December and that his intention was to assassinate a businessman in Kyrenia.

The police noted that the suspect had provided a confessional statement and that his connections in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) would be investigated. They also stated that the seized weapon and ammunition would be sent for ballistic examination and that there were camera recordings to be reviewed. The police requested the suspect be detained for three days.

The suspect’s lawyer, argued that her client neither came to carry out an assassination nor to intimidate the businessman Hüseyin Kemaler as alleged and claimed that the only offense committed by her client was carrying a weapon.

After evaluating the testimony, the judge ordered that the suspect remain in custody for three days.