Fugitive is ordered not to leave Cyprus (From The Northern Echo)
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Fugitive is ordered not to leave Cyprus
5:32pm Friday 10th November 2006 in News
A MAN wanted by Cleveland Police is under virtual house arrest on the island of Cyprus, it can be revealed.
Suspected drugs baron Gary Robb has been ordered not to leave the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) - the country he has made his home for the last eight years.
A spokeswoman for the TRNC goverment said Robb's details had been circulated to all border posts with instructions he was not allowed to leave the republic.
Until it was stripped from him, 39-year-old Robb was given citizenship of the TRNC. As such he was eligible for call up for military service.
Robb, who went to school in Middlesbrough, but spent his early life growing up in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, is under investigation over forged documents presented to the authorities claiming he had done military service in the UK and was therefore exempt from call-up in the republic.
Robb is behind the multi million pound Aga Developments building scandal which threatens the republic's economy.
Ferdi Sabit Soyer, the republic's Prime Minister and Interior Minister Ozkan Murat are meeting representatives of hundreds of Aga Development customers who have been left with half finished luxury villas and thousands of pounds out of pocket.
Mr Soyer is putting an hour aside to meet the delegation in London, during an official visit to Britain, on November 16.
Robb was detained in police custody for several days over the forged papers, last week.
The TRNC spokeswoman said: "There is a court order and details have been sent to every immigration office. If he tries to leave the TRNC, he cannot.'' Robb skipped bail and fled to the TRNC, with which there is no extradition agreement, when he was due to face trial on drugs offences in the UK, in 1997, with his brother James. James was jailed for 12 years. The trial followed a police raid on the Blue Monkey illegal rave club in Stockton.
