Cannabis arrests rising as summer season kicks off

Cases of illegal drug importation are an upward trend, deputy drug squad chief, Stelios Sergides said on Tuesday.

The police statement came following confiscation by officers of another stash of cannabis at Paphos airport on Sunday.

The increase in cases is likely due to the summer season and the influx of tourists and the matter is of top concern for the police, customs and postal service, Sergides told the Cyprus News Agency.

The police chief added that the drugs being imported are very dangerous and mentioned that new substances are also being brought in, whose effects on the body are unknown. 

Cannabis is one of the most common drugs intercepted, the police chief said, and has been known to  cause psychotic episodes in users. Such cases have been recorded on the island, Sergides said, and urged young people to avoid getting into any drug-related situations.

The latest arrest involved a 55-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman who were caught at Paphos airport on Sunday, following detection of over 16kg of cannabis in their luggage.

Police found and seized the 16 plastic packages containing the drug. The pair were arrested for evident offenses and subsequently detained by court warrant for eight days to facilitate investigations.