Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus customs said it seized large sums of cash, tobacco products, drugs and animal goods during a series of checks at crossing points in Nicosia and Famagusta districts. The department said the seizures were made as part of ongoing enforcement efforts.
Cash and tobacco found at Ayios Dhometios
Customs officers at the Ayios Dhometios crossing on March 12 stopped a vehicle driven by a woman of Russian origin holding Cypriot citizenship, accompanied by another woman of similar background, according to an official announcement.
A search uncovered two cartons of cigarettes, 12 cartons of heated tobacco products and rolling tobacco, none bearing the required health warnings in Greek and Turkish, indicating duty had not been paid.
Officers also found €150,000 in cash inside a bag belonging to the passenger. The women did not provide satisfactory explanations or documentation regarding the origin and intended use of the money.
Both women were arrested, and the tobacco products and the vehicle were seized. They were later released after agreeing to an out-of-court settlement of €600, while the cash was retained for further investigation in cooperation with police and the anti-money laundering unit, Mokas.
Greek national arrested after suspected drugs discovered
Later the same evening at Ayios Dhometios, customs officers stopped another vehicle driven by a Greek national. During the search, officers found a small quantity of cannabis, a crystalline substance believed to be methamphetamine (“crystal”), a grinder and two vaping devices used for drug consumption.
The driver was arrested and handed over to the drug squad, Ykan, along with the seized items.
Undeclared animal products seized at Dherynia crossing
In a separate incident on March 15 at the Dherynia crossing, customs officers stopped a vehicle driven by a foreign national with Cypriot citizenship and found undeclared animal products in violation of Green Line regulations.
The confiscated items included three litres of a dairy drink (ayran), 700 grams of cheese, 1.3kg of salami and nearly 4.75kg of fresh chicken.
Customs authorities said all goods were seized as part of efforts to enforce regulations at crossing points.
What steps do you think should be taken to improve compliance at crossing points?
