Customs confiscate duty free tobacco and charge €20,000

Tobacco products brought illegally from the north were confiscated on Friday in the south by the Customs Department, which charged those arrested a total of €20,000 for unpaid duty and taxes.

During checks at the Ayios Dhometios crossing point in Nicosia, customs stopped a 39-year-old and searched his vehicle.

They found that part of the trunk and back seats had been altered.

Underneath the officers found 43 cartons of 200 cigarettes each, 116 boxes of vapes and 3kg and 650gr of rolling tobacco.

None of the products bore either the warning against smoking in Greek and Turkish or the security tab and barcode, indicating that they were duty free.

The 39-year-old was arrested and his vehicle confiscated.

He was later released, having paid €11,000 as an out-of-court settlement and €500 for his vehicle.

In Peristerona, the vehicle of a 33-year-old was searched.

Officers found 88 cartons of 200 cigarettes each, 101 boxes of vapes and 500gr of rolling tobacco, all believed to be duty free.

The driver was arrested and his vehicle confiscated.

He later paid €9,000 for an out-of-court settlement and €500 for his vehicle and was released.