Elizabeth Georgiou
The Cyprus Anti-Narcotics Service (YKAN) has turned its attention to opium poppies following a string of major drug seizures over the past few days, raising concerns about a new narcotic appearing on the island.
In just five days, police confiscated more than 58 kilograms of dried opium poppy pods, with authorities warning they are racing to stop the drug from gaining a foothold in Cyprus.
So far, 13 people have been arrested in connection with the seizures during operations carried out across different parts of the island.
A new drug on Cyprus' radar
Speaking to Kathimerini, YKAN commander Christos Andreou said the appearance of opium poppy pods is particularly worrying because the substance has not previously been seen circulating on the Cyprus drug market.
"The presence of different narcotics in our country is something that concerns us greatly," he said.
Andreou explained that the illegal drug market is constantly evolving, forcing authorities to stay in close contact with international partners as new substances emerge.
The first major seizure was made on June 19, when YKAN officers, working with Customs, intercepted more than 10 kilograms of dried poppy stems hidden inside a parcel that arrived at Larnaca Airport from abroad.
TikTok tipped off investigators
Andreou said the investigation into the poppy pods actually began after authorities noticed reports on social media, particularly TikTok, where the substances were allegedly being advertised for sale.
"The fact that we are detecting new drugs concerns us greatly," he said.
"In the case of the poppy pods, the investigation started because of social media posts claiming these substances were being sold online."
Police launched targeted operations last Thursday in an effort to stop the drug from spreading while it was still relatively unknown.
By Wednesday, officers had seized around 30 kilograms.
A major operation carried out the following day in Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca led to the arrest of five more suspects and the seizure of another 20 kilograms, bringing the total to nearly 50 kilograms at that stage. Additional seizures since then have pushed the total beyond 58 kilograms.
"We're stepping up our efforts," Andreou said. "Every day is now a race against time to remove these substances from circulation."
Part of a wider drug threat
Authorities say the emergence of opium poppy pods is part of a broader trend involving new or less common drugs being introduced into Cyprus by criminal networks.
These include synthetic cannabinoids, Captagon, often referred to as the "jihadist drug" because of its reported use in conflict zones, kif, liquid cocaine, and other narcotics that have shown significant increases in recent years.
According to Andreou, by June 22, police had already seized around 370 kilograms of illegal drugs in 2026, an amount estimated to be equivalent to at least 370,000 individual doses.
What is an opium poppy?
The plant, Papaver somniferum, also known as the opium poppy, is the natural source of opium.
After processing, it contains opioid compounds such as morphine and codeine.
According to the European Union Drugs Agency, most heroin found on the European market is produced from morphine extracted from opium poppies.
Andreou noted that heroin itself comes from the same plant.
"Heroin is also an opioid drug produced from this plant," he said.
"The poppy pods contain high levels of morphine, which can have serious effects. Those involved process the pods before using them."
Serious health risks
The World Health Organization warns that opioid use can be fatal because the drugs affect the part of the brain that controls breathing.
Signs of an overdose include loss of consciousness and difficulty breathing.
Andreou also pointed out that the amount of morphine varies from plant to plant, while each person's body reacts differently.
"Every poppy contains a different amount, and every person responds differently," he said.
Imported from abroad
Although the scale of the recent seizures is unprecedented for Cyprus, opium poppies have appeared before in neighboring Greece.
One of the largest cases was uncovered in 2018, when Greek authorities discovered a plantation of around 3,700 opium poppy plants in the Boeotia region.
Experts say the climate in Cyprus and Greece makes large-scale cultivation difficult.
For that reason, investigators believe the recent cases are mainly linked to attempts to import the substance from countries such as Pakistan and India.
Authorities want to stop the trend before it grows
For YKAN, the key question now is whether these cases represent isolated smuggling attempts or the beginning of a new trend in Cyprus' illegal drug market.
Andreou said authorities are determined to stop it before it becomes established.
"Our goal is to stop this phenomenon now, before it spreads," he said.
