Police arrested four people in Limassol after seizing more than 126 kilograms of ketamine, along with cocaine, methedrone and MDMA, in an operation Justice Minister Costas Fitiris, praised on Sunday.

A court ordered all four to remain in custody for eight days.

The suspects, an Israeli couple and a Palestinian couple, were held following searches at two properties on Saturday.

Police believe the group formed part of an organised network smuggling drugs into Cyprus from Israel using luxury yachts docked at marinas in Limassol and Larnaca, with the drugs allegedly hidden inside paint cans and camouflaged as building materials.

At the first property, belonging to the 53-year-old Israeli man and his 51-year-old wife, officers found 34 grams of cocaine, 246.5 grams of ketamine, 15 grams of methedrone and 12 grams of MDMA.

They also seized €4,150 in cash and 42 packets of untaxed cigarettes.

At the second property, belonging to the 50-year-old Palestinian man and his 31-year-old wife, police found 126 kilograms and 630 grams of ketamine along with a precision scale. Both properties had mobile phones seized as evidence.

Police say the drugs were stored at the two houses before being sold on, with buyers limited to Israeli residents in Cyprus rather than Cypriot nationals.

The four suspects appeared before the Limassol district court on Sunday, where the eight-day remand was granted to allow the investigation to continue.

Fitiris congratulated the leadership and staff of the special police units involved in the operation, describing the fight against organised crime and drug trafficking as “a central priority of the government and the president”.

He said, “we continue with even greater intensity and determination”, adding that “every amount of drugs that we prevent from reaching our society is the protection of human lives, especially the new generation”.

The police association also praised the officers involved, singling out members of the drugs squad (Ykan).