Customs seize untaxed tobacco from Israeli passenger amid rising smuggling trend in Cyprus
Cyprus customs officers seized a large quantity of untaxed tobacco from an Israeli passenger traveling in a Turkish Cypriot taxi at the Deryneia crossing point on August 12. The confiscated items included 15 cartons of cigarettes and three kilos of shisha tobacco, all lacking required health warnings and traceability codes. The passenger was arrested but later released after agreeing to a 2,000-euro out-of-court settlement.
Officials have reported a significant increase in tobacco smuggling activities involving Israeli nationals over the past two months. Customs data show that Israeli nationals accounted for 14% of total seizures in June and nearly 25% in July, with their contraband constituting a growing share of seized cigarettes. Authorities suspect the existence of a smuggling network moving tobacco from the occupied areas through Cyprus to Israel.
Earlier large seizures indicated the use of boats for smuggling shipments, but the trend has since shifted to an 'ant smuggling' technique, where multiple carriers transport small quantities repeatedly to evade detection. Customs continue to monitor and crack down on this evolving illicit trade.
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