Cypriot customs officers confiscated 47 cartons of cigarettes and 1.5 kg of rolling tobacco on Thursday, 24 September 2026, after stopping a vehicle with Turkish-Cypriot plates at the Agios Dhometios crossing between the Republic-controlled south and the north of the island. The car carried a Turkish-Cypriot driver and four British tourists returning from Kyrenia. According to the customs department, the tobacco lacked mandatory EU health warnings and traceability codes, indicating that excise duties had not been paid in the Republic of Cyprus. Each occupant was fined €3,500 on the spot, and the contraband was earmarked for destruction. The incident comes amid heightened surveillance along the 180-km Green Line. Authorities have installed additional cameras and stepped-up patrols following a 93 % drop in new asylum applications this year. Smuggling of duty-free cigarettes remains a persistent challenge, costing the treasury an estimated €15 million annually. For cross-border travellers, the message is clear: duty-free allowances are limited to 40 cigarettes or 50 g of loose tobacco when entering the government-controlled areas. Anything above that must be declared and taxed. Tour operators have been urged to brief clients to avoid holiday-ending fines. Businesses that shuttle staff or goods across the divide should review compliance protocols, especially with Cyprus eyeing Schengen membership, which could usher in even tighter customs convergence with EU norms.
Source: Cyprus Mail
