A 23-year-old Italian national was arrested on Thursday at Larnaca airport after customs officials found over 26 kilogrammes of cannabis in his luggage.

According to the customs department, officers conducted a scan and physical inspection of the luggage belonging to the man, who had arrived at Larnaca from Bangkok via the United Arab Emirates.

During the search, officers discovered 45 vacuum-sealed packages containing dry material identified as cannabis, weighing a total of 26.61 kilogrammes.

The drugs were confiscated, and the passenger was arrested on the spot. Both the 23-year-old and the seized drugs were handed over to the Larnaca drug squad Ykan, which is now investigating the case and any potential links to other individuals.

The customs department’s statement also added that three months ago, two women followed the same route and were found carrying 41.096 kilogrammes of cannabis in their luggage.