Newsroom
Members of the Nicosia CID, acting on intelligence regarding the illegal possession, trafficking, and marketing of duty-free tobacco products and the fraudulent evasion of excise duty, conducted a coordinated operation today between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM, in collaboration with the Customs Department.
During the operation, two vehicles belonging to a 43-year-old man and a 23-year-old man were stopped and inspected in the Nicosia district. Authorities seized a total of 1,400 packets of heated cigarettes, 1,640 packets of cigarettes, 1,700 grams of cigarette tobacco, and 500 grams of hookah tobacco.
A subsequent search of the 23-year-old's premises in the Nicosia district yielded 350 packets of heated cigarettes, 574 packets of cigarettes, 500 grams of hookah tobacco, and 3,870 grams of tobacco for cigarettes.
A further search uncovered a hidden warehouse located behind bird cages. This warehouse contained a significant quantity of cigarettes, which were transported to the Customs Department for counting.
The estimated value of the confiscated goods exceeds €200,000. The 43-year-old and 23-year-old were arrested and are scheduled to appear before the Court tomorrow at the behest of the Customs Department.
