A sophisticated ring of Turkish and Turkish Cypriot middlemen is systematically targeting Greek Cypriot properties in Karpasia peninsula, in some cases selling land without the rightful owners’ knowledge.
Following reports by Phileleftheros exposing the network, a specific case has emerged involving a landowner living in Australia whose property was sold by a third party without his consent.
Sources set to be presented to Republic of Cyprus authorities indicate that a small group of individuals has obtained a list containing the names and property details of Karpasia landowners. Middlemen use this data to track down owners and their heirs to propose sales to interested buyers. The origin of this data remains unclear, though it is suspected it may have been leaked from a government department.
The network’s interests extend beyond agricultural land—often bought by settlers to secure state subsidies through frontmen—to lucrative coastal plots.
Karpasia natives living in the government-controlled areas face further exploitation when trying to secure their holdings. Turkish Cypriot lawyers reportedly charge between €2,000 and €5,000 to provide owners with their own property files. These documents are essential for inheritance cases where land has not yet been divided among siblings.
Some of these lawyers, who are also involved in selling Greek Cypriot land, reportedly have access to the Varosha Land Registry archives, which contain all property records and applications dating back to before the 1974 invasion.
Property owners told Phileleftheros that the Turkish occupation authorities are pressuring them to issue “TRNC” title deeds. Owners in enclaved villages are warned that if they fail to obtain these documents from the “Land Registry” in the north, their properties will be redistributed to Turks.
The legal and investigative vacuum in the government-controlled areas has left owners vulnerable. One refugee who discovered his share of a property had been sold was told by a lawyer in the south that local firms could not take the case, advising him to hire a Turkish Cypriot lawyer instead. When he contacted the Cyprus Police, he was told they do not investigate such matters.
The recent surge in sales is partly attributed to the passing of original owners. Many heirs living abroad are unfamiliar with the exact location of their inherited land, making them more susceptible to offers from the middleman ring.