Cypriot border-control officers arrested a 33-year-old Bosnian national at Larnaca International Airport early on Saturday, 26 September after an automated passport scan flagged an Interpol Red Notice for attempted murder issued by Bosnia and Herzegovina. The suspect had flown into Cyprus on a late-night commercial service and was intercepted in the arrivals hall before he could clear immigration. Police say the individual is wanted for a 2019 gang-related shooting in Sarajevo and had been evading capture in multiple EU jurisdictions. Extradition proceedings are being fast-tracked by Cyprus’ Office for Combating Illegal Immigration in coordination with the Justice Ministry and Bosnian authorities. A district court hearing is scheduled for Sunday morning to decide on provisional detention. The incident highlights the effectiveness of Cyprus’ upgraded Advanced Passenger Information (API) system, which cross-checks every arriving traveller against Interpol and EUROPOL databases in real time. Since the beginning of 2026, the system has produced 54 Red-Notice hits, 17 of which have led to on-site arrests at Larnaca or Paphos airports. For business travellers, the arrest is unlikely to cause significant operational disruptions, but security experts warn that secondary screening and random checks may be intensified over the coming days. Companies moving high-value staff through Cyprus should allow extra time for arrival formalities and ensure employees carry supporting documents to avoid delays.
Source: Cyprus-FAQ
