Italian authorities seize 10 million detonators reportedly bound for Cyprus

The government is seeking urgent clarification after Italian officials seized a truck carrying more than 10 million detonators and hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition that transport documents indicated were destined for Cyprus.

According to reporting from Italian state broadcaster, RAI, the shipment was intercepted at the port of Ancona during an operation by Italian border control and the national customs agency after investigators identified irregularities in a consignment declared as “miscellaneous goods”.

Customs department spokesman, George Constantinou, said the reports have prompted immediate enquiries by Cypriot authorities.

Speaking on Politis radio on Friday, he said the information originates from Italian media coverage of the seizure earlier this week.

“The quantity mentioned in the publications is extremely large and it reasonably causes concern if it was indeed heading to Cyprus,” Constantinou said.

Italian authorities reported that the cargo contained approximately 10 million detonators and 314,000 rounds of civilian ammunition commonly used for hunting.

The shipment had departed from Bologna and was being transported by truck to Ancona, where it was about to board a passenger ferry bound for Greece before continuing towards Cyprus.

Investigators said the case emerged after a risk analysis of trade flows and transport routes revealed inconsistencies in the documentation.

When the truck arrived at the port, officials carried out a detailed inspection and discovered the explosives and ammunition.

Constantinou explained that the size of the ammunition shipment alone does not automatically indicate wrongdoing.

“When we talk about cartridges the numbers can be large in commercial transport,” he remarked.

“What raises concern is the reference to ten million detonators, because these materials contain explosive substances, even if in small quantities.”

He added that Cypriot customs authorities have activated their international contact channels to gather further details from their counterparts abroad and to determine the circumstances of the case.

According to RAI, the cargo was intended for civilian use but was being transported in violation of maritime safety regulations.

Explosives and weapons must follow specialised transport routes and cannot be carried on passenger vessels.

Investigators said the truck had been preparing to board a ferry used exclusively for passenger transport, creating a serious safety risk.

Detonators are considered highly sensitive devices because they can be triggered by strong impact or heat exposure.

Italian authorities seized both the truck and the cargo, while the driver was reported for illegal possession and transportation of ammunition and explosive material as well as for using forged documentation.

The British foreign office had recently updated its travel advisory on Friday warning that “terrorist attacks in Cyprus cannot be ruled out” and that regional escalation has created security risks.