The customs department on Monday said that it had made “significant seizures at Larnaca and Paphos airports” between September 27 and 29.

According to a statement released by the department, customs officials on September 27 conducted a search of the luggage of a Mexican national arriving from Dubai on a private aircraft at Larnaca airport.

The man was found to be transporting 25 new mobile phones worth €37,500 in total and a luxury watch valued at €40,000, which had not been declared for duty and tax payments.

He was fined a total of €17,698.25, including the applicable duties, taxes and a €1,500 out-of-court settlement for the offence.

On September 28, customs officers at Paphos airport searched the luggage of a Turkish Cypriot woman with British nationality, who was due to depart for the United Kingdom.

They discovered 167 cartons of 200 cigarettes each and 13.5 kilograms of rolling tobacco. The tobacco products lacked the required health warnings in Greek and Turkish, as well as the security features and unique traceability codes, indicating they were duty-free. The passenger was arrested and later released after paying €13,840 for an out-of-court settlement.

On September 29, customs officials at Larnaca airport intercepted a Lebanese passenger arriving from Beirut. A search of his luggage uncovered a gold bar weighing 500 grams, valued at €32,000, which had not been declared. The man was arrested and the gold bar was confiscated for further investigation.