A criminal organisation case involving four defendants was adjourned to November 23 by the Larnaca permanent criminal court on Wednesday, after prosecutors made a substantial change to the indictment.

Three of the four, a 42-year-old man and two men aged 29, were released on bail at an earlier hearing after the court accepted defence objections to their continued detention.

 Only a 22-year-old member of the police special forces unit, (SYOP), remains on trial in custody, who faces a separate charge of attempted murder against a well-known businessman.

A fourth defendant, a 32-year-old man, was acquitted earlier in proceedings due to insufficient testimony.

The 42-year-old now faces counts of money laundering and participation in a criminal organisation, while the two 29-year-olds face an additional charge of aiding and abetting money laundering.

The four were arrested on January 22 as part of a police operation carried out in Larnaca and at the central prisons.

Searches of their homes turned up €1,050 in cash, jewellery of unknown value, mobile phones, two bulletproof vests, two pistols and a baseball bat.

Two vehicles were also seized and taken to the Larnaca traffic police department for further examination.

A firearm was found during a search of one residence. Subsequent checks established that the 29-year-old did not hold a licence to acquire or possess it, resulting in his arrest.

The case forms part of a investigation by Larnaca CID into organised criminal activity in the district, which has included separate proceedings over an alleged protection racket, torture and abduction, and a shooting outside police headquarters in January.