**Passenger Caught with 14,000 Cigarettes at Larnaca Airport**
Larnaca, Cyprus – A 57-year-old Turkish Cypriot was apprehended at Larnaca International Airport on Wednesday while attempting to board a flight to the United Kingdom with a substantial quantity of duty-free cigarettes. The incident was reported by the customs department on Thursday, detailing the circumstances surrounding the seizure.
Customs officers acted on specific intelligence that led them to stop the passenger before his departure. Upon searching his luggage, officials discovered a total of 70 cartons of cigarettes, with each carton containing 200 individual packets. In total, this amounted to 14,000 cigarettes.
The cigarette packets raised immediate concerns for customs officials as they did not display the required health warnings in Greek and Turkish, which are mandated by law. Additionally, the packets lacked unique traceability codes, a clear indication that they were not compliant with the regulations governing duty-free products.
Following the discovery, the passenger was arrested, and both his luggage and the cigarettes were confiscated by customs authorities. However, he was later released after customs accepted his request for an out-of-court settlement. As part of this agreement, he paid a fine of €4,200.
The customs department confirmed that the seized cigarettes will be destroyed in accordance with standard procedures, ensuring that they do not re-enter the market.
This incident highlights ongoing efforts by customs officials to monitor and regulate the movement of goods through Larnaca airport, particularly concerning compliance with health and safety regulations.