Two arrests made at Larnaca airport for smuggling untaxed cigarettes

On May 3, 2026, customs officers at Larnaca Airport arrested two Bulgarian nationals following a tip-off. The individuals were attempting to board a flight to Manchester, United Kingdom, with a large quantity of undeclared tobacco products in their luggage. Authorities seized 127 cartons from the first passenger and 119 cartons from the second, totaling 246 cartons, each containing 200 cigarettes. The products lacked mandatory Greek and Turkish health warnings, which identified them as untaxed and illegal. Both suspects were arrested for flagrant offenses and had their cargo confiscated. They were scheduled to appear before the Larnaca District Court on May 4, 2026, where officials requested detention orders as part of an ongoing investigation into the smuggling attempt.