Customs officers at the Deryneia crossing seized smuggled tobacco hidden inside a vehicle's sliding roof mechanism on Tuesday. The concealed haul included nine boxes of 200 cigarettes and 225 grams of rolling tobacco, all lacking required health warnings and traceability codes for duty-free origin from Turkey.

Authorities described the concealment as carefully executed. The vehicle was confiscated, and the driver arrested. However, the driver was later released after agreeing to an out-of-court settlement of €720 and consenting to the return of the vehicle.

The seizure highlights ongoing efforts to combat illegal tobacco smuggling across Cyprus's border points, emphasizing the importance of health regulations and traceability in tobacco product imports.