Two Turkish Cypriots were arrested in the space of two days last week for separate incidents involving the smuggling of large quantities of tobacco from the north into the Republic, the customs department announced on Tuesday.

The first incident took place on Friday, with a Turkish Cypriot woman travelling on a British passport being found to be in possession of large quantities of heated cigarettes during a search of her vehicle on the road between Larnaca and the buffer zone village of Pyla.

The woman was taken by the police to the Larnaca airport customs office, with the customs department finding a total of 118 boxes of 200 heated cigarettes each, thus 23,600 heated cigarettes, in her car.

The boxes did not bear the bilingual Turkish and Greek safety warnings or security features characteristic of tobacco products sold in the Republic of Cyprus, and as such it was determined that the products had been brought from the north.

As such, the woman was arrested, before being released after paying a €4,100 fine. Her car was returned to her and the tobacco products were confiscated with a view to them being destroyed.

The following day, the police stopped a car for inspection on the motorway between Limassol and Paphos.

A search of the vehicle found a total of five boxes of 200 cigarettes each – thus 1,000 cigarettes – nine boxes of 200 heated cigarettes each – thus 1,800 heated cigarettes – as well as a kilogram of rolling tobacco and 23.2kg of shisha tobacco, as well as €6,800 in cash.

The vehicle’s driver, a Turkish Cypriot man, was arrested and later released after paying an €8,800 fine. His vehicle was returned to him following the payment of a further €1,000.

Meanwhile, the customs department said a Greek Cypriot woman was handed a €1,000 fine at the Ledra street crossing point on Friday after attempting to cross from the north into the Republic with 3.25kg of shisha tobacco, which she had bought in the north, on her person. The tobacco was also seized.

A French tourist was also handed a €1,000 fine on Sunday after attempting to cross from the north into the Republic at the Apliki crossing point, near Lefka, with 3.5kg of rolling tobacco which he had bought in the north in his car. The tobacco was also seized in this case.