British twins have been targeted in an alleged murder-for-hire plot in Cyprus, with eight people arrested in connection with the investigation. Jamie and Aaron Small, from Liverpool, were reportedly the intended victims of an advert shared by a person using the name "Sponge Jobb" on the encrypted messaging service Signal.
The advert on August 10 stated a hitman was needed to carry out a job in the European Union in exchange for $60,000 worth of cryptocurrency. It is understood to have received a response from a Danish police officer posing as a would-be hitman, which prompted an international criminal investigation.
Cross-Border Operation Leads to Arrests
A cross-border operation began, leading to eight people from three countries being detained in Cyprus, starting with the detention of an Irish man and two Danish nationals on August 27, CIReN reported. Information was then shared by Swedish police that a suspected hitman from their country had arrived in Cyprus. Alongside another Swedish national, the pair were put under surveillance.
They were then arrested along with another three men, also from Sweden. A pistol, medical masks and disposable gloves were found in a subsequent search. All five deny wrongdoing and say they were on holiday in Cyprus. The Irish national also denies any involvement in the murder plot, claiming he was paid to deliver an envelope containing €1,000 to a location in Ayia Napa, according to local media.
It has also been reported how the undercover Danish officer was sent photographs of the brothers as well as given information about pistols and ammunition allegedly sourced from Turkey.
Brothers Missing Since Plot Uncovered
Since the plot was uncovered, the Small brothers have gone missing, with authorities trying to locate them, reports the Liverpool Echo. Cypriot police officers have been in touch with Merseyside Police over the incident, with the brothers believed to have recently been on holiday in the country but now left. The brothers are said to have competed in MMA fighting before leaving.
A spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: "The investigation sits with law enforcement in Cyprus. We are in contact with them to offer any support we can due to links with individuals from Merseyside."
It comes after the Irish Times reported this week how the Irish suspect is linked to the McCarthy-Dundon gang, which is involved in drug trafficking and extortion in Limerick city, and has historic links to the Kinahan cartel. Prosecutors claim he was responsible for liaising with the hitman and giving him money during his stay in Cyprus. The 33-year-old is reported to have travelled to the country from the UK on August 17 and denies any wrongdoing.
