Customs department operations at Cyprus buffer zone crossings

On March 3, 2026, Cyprus Customs Department officials conducted enforcement operations at the Agios Dometios and Astromeritis-Zodia crossings. At the Agios Dometios crossing, a 57-year-old driver attempted to evade inspection and return to the occupied areas. During the incident, officers discovered a 27-year-old foreign national hidden behind the vehicle's second row of seats. The driver collided with other vehicles while attempting to escape but was ultimately immobilized and arrested with police assistance. In a separate incident on the same day, customs officers stopped a vehicle driven by a Turkish Cypriot and discovered 150 kilograms of bovine bones and hides. This transport violated Green Line regulations regarding the movement of animal products. The items were confiscated and destroyed. Authorities imposed a 500 euro fine and permanently confiscated the vehicle involved in the animal product smuggling case.