A new police operation is now in effect on the Foinikoudes seafront in Larnaca following a sharp rise in violent incidents, mainly involving underage foreign nationals. According to a report on Philenews, the operation began at 8pm on Friday, just hours after a surprise visit by President Nikos Christodoulides to the town’s police headquarters.

The president’s unannounced morning visit followed weeks of media reports about robberies and attacks on unsuspecting members of the public. Some of the victims were hospitalised. Residents have expressed growing anger and demanded urgent action from authorities.

During a meeting at the Larnaca Police Directorate, also attended by the chief of police, President Christodoulides ordered stronger policing in the area. He confirmed that 20 officers from the special anti-crime unit, known as MMAD, will patrol the seafront every night from 8pm until dawn.

Officials say the decision is a response to a series of recent crimes, mostly committed by unaccompanied minors. Many of these cases involve street fights and thefts, often taking place late at night near the beachfront.

The president also said he had spoken with the deputy minister of migration, who will now work closely with the deputy minister of social welfare to introduce new measures for dealing with unaccompanied minors. Specific plans have not been announced yet. In a separate appeal, Christodoulides called on the judiciary to speed up the handling of cases involving minors accused of crimes. He stressed this was not a political intervention but a request to prevent further delays in delivering justice. He also raised the issue of whether suspects should be held in custody while awaiting trial.

Larnaca’s local authorities and members of parliament have warned about the rise in crime for some time. Both the municipality and MPs have repeatedly called for stronger action. The situation on the Foinikoudes front will now be closely monitored as authorities attempt to restore order and reassure the public.