Customs Department officials discovered untaxed tobacco products while inspecting vehicles at roadblocks.
According to a statement from the Department, on September 21, Customs Department officials, as part of their routine inspections to enforce the Green Line Regulation at the Deryneia Crossing Point, stopped a vehicle with Turkish Cypriot license plates, driven by a Turkish Cypriot and carrying an Israeli passenger to Larnaca Airport, for inspection.
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During the inspection of the passenger’s luggage, packages of tobacco for hookah totaling 7 kilograms and 400 grams were found, which did not bear the health warning about the dangers of smoking in Greek and Turkish, nor did they have the security feature or the unique traceability code, indicating that they were duty-free.
The tobacco products were confiscated and will undergo the prescribed destruction process. The suspect was initially arrested for the offenses committed in flagrante delicto, but was later released after his proposal for an out-of-court settlement of the cases was accepted, with the payment of a total of €2,600.
On the same day, at the Agios Dometios Border Crossing, Customs Department officers stopped a vehicle driven by a Greek Cypriot for inspection.
During the inspection of the passenger’s luggage, packages of hookah tobacco originating from Nepal were found, totaling 2 kilograms and 400 grams, which did not bear the health warning about the dangers of smoking in Greek and Turkish, nor did they have the security feature or the unique traceability code, indicating that they were untaxed.
The tobacco products were seized and will undergo the prescribed destruction procedure. The vehicle was also seized as the means of transporting the contraband tobacco products. The suspect was initially arrested for the offenses committed in flagrante delicto, but was later released after his proposal for an out-of-court settlement of the cases was accepted, involving the payment of €850 plus €150 for the return of the vehicle.
