Man Arrested in Famagusta for Butchering Kangaroo; Second Suspect Escapes

Police in Famagusta have arrested a man caught butchering a kangaroo, while a second suspect managed to flee the scene.

According to the police, officers responded to an anonymous tip and arrived at a parking lot of an apartment building, where they discovered two men with knives, in the process of cutting up the animal. Upon noticing the police, one of the suspects fled, while the other — a 36-year-old man — remained at the scene and was arrested.

At the scene, officers found plastic bags containing the dismembered body parts of the animal, along with an axe and five knives. A veterinary official confirmed that the remains belonged to an adult kangaroo. During questioning, the arrested man explained that he had received the deceased animal from a third party in Paralimni. All parts of the carcass were seized for further investigation.

The man was taken to the Derinya police station, where it was revealed that he was living in the Republic of Cyprus illegally. His asylum application had been rejected in 2022. After an arrest warrant was issued, he was taken into custody.

While consuming kangaroo meat itself is not prohibited, the case is under thorough investigation due to the unknown origin of the carcass and potential health risks to the public.