The police found a staggering haul of tobacco products worth over €200,000 which had been smuggled into the Republic of Cyprus from the north in a shed which was hidden behind a bird cage, the customs department said on Thursday.

The case began when the police stopped two cars being driven by two Greek Cypriots, aged 43 years old and 23 years old, for inspection, finding 38 boxes of 200 cigarettes each, 56 boxes and five packs of heated cigarettes,1.7 kilograms of rolling tobacco and 500 grams of hookah tobacco in the two cars.

None of the items seized bore the bilingual safety warning in Greek and Turkish or the unique traceability code and security feature, all of which are characteristic of tobacco products bought in the Republic of Cyprus.

As such, the vehicles were seized and both men were arrested.

The police then searched a premises managed by the pair, finding 41 boxes of 200 cigarettes each, 35 boxes and four packs of heated cigarettes, 3.87kg of rolling tobacco, and 500 grams of hookah tobacco behind a false wall in the building, with all the products determined to have been smuggled.

Later, the police and customs officials visited a second location managed by the pair, finding the bird cage. Inside the bird cage was an entrance to a hidden shed, which could only be accessed with a “special mechanism” to open its entrance.

Inside the shed, there were 2,595 boxes of 200 cigarettes each – 519,000 cigarettes in total – 1,384 boxes of heated cigarettes, 90.75kg of rolling tobacco, and 272.5kg of hookah tobacco, all of which was determined to have been smuggled from the north.

The customs department said the total value of the haul was €217,284.

Both men are expected to appear in court on Thursday to be issued a remand.

The tobacco products hidden behind a secret door