Three men appeared in court in the north on Thursday, accused of selling lottery tickets and scratch cards from the Republic.

Speaking in court, the police’s representative said one of the trio had been found outside the Erulku supermarket in Neo Chorio, while the other two were caught selling them in northern Nicosia.

A total of 50 lottery tickets and 102 scratch cards were seized during the operation.

The representative added that all three suspects had said they “did not realise” they were committing a crime.

The trio were all released on bails worth 7,000TL (€211) on the condition that a guarantor signs a bond worth 300,000TL (€9,040).