A 30-year-old Turkish Cypriot man has been arrested after authorities discovered a large quantity of untaxed tobacco products in his vehicle in the Larnaca district.
The seizure took place on 6 November, following information provided to the Department of Customs by members of the Police's Organised Crime Unit (DAOE) and the Financial Crime Investigation Unit (YPEE).
Following a search of the man's vehicle, it was transferred to the Pera Chorio and Nisou Police Station, where customs officials carried out a detailed inspection.
They subsequently seized 200 cartons of cigarettes, each containing 200 cigarettes, as well as 54 kilogrammes of rolling tobacco.
Tobacco products lacked mandatory warnings and security features
According to the Department of Customs, the packaging did not carry the mandatory health warnings about the harmful effects of smoking in either Greek or Turkish.
The products also lacked the required security feature and unique traceability code, indicating that they were untaxed tobacco products.
The 30-year-old was arrested on suspicion of offences committed in the act and appeared before Larnaca District Court on Friday morning. The court ordered that he remain in custody for two days.
The seized tobacco products will be disposed of in accordance with the established destruction procedures.
Investigation into tobacco smuggling continues
The case is being investigated further by the Investigation Division of Customs Headquarters, in cooperation with the Police's DΑΟΕ and YPEE units.
The investigation forms part of ongoing joint efforts by the authorities to tackle the smuggling of tobacco products originating from the areas not under the effective control of the Republic of Cyprus.
