Van smuggling 130,000 cigarettes from north seized after police pursuit
Police intercepted a van on Wednesday morning that had entered the government controlled areas from the north, seizing a large haul of cigarettes and tobacco.
During a search of the vehicle, officers recovered 127,000 cigarettes, 40,000 heated cigarettes (IQOS), 96 kilos of rolling tobacco, 102 kilos of narghile tobacco, and 1,000 cigarillos.
The two passengers, aged 37 and 39, were arrested on suspicion of negligent driving, illegal possession as well as transport of duty-free goods.
They are due to appear before the Nicosia district court for a detention hearing.
A police spokesperson said, “all seized items are being documented and preserved as part of the ongoing investigation.”
Authorities added that the pursuit and seizure are part of continued efforts to combat the illegal transport of contraband from the north.