The police conducted a wide sweep of premises in Larnaca on Thursday and also stepped up traffic checks in an operation aimed at combating undeclared work and illegal residency, they said. 

A statement from police said that “a large-scale inspection operation, within the framework of ongoing actions to ensure public order and legality” was carried out in cooperation with local authorities and other state services.  

These included the labour inspection department, customs, and inland revenue. 

Police units from various departments, including immigration and drugs squad officers were part of the sweep. 

The coordinated operation began at 8am and ended at 2pm, during which 20 premises were inspected, the police said. 

During the sweep, a property manager who was operating without a licence was booked, six establishments were done for selling alcohol without a licence and two for selling tobacco without a licence.

Two more establishments were booked for not having the means to take electronic payments and there were six bookings for undeclared work. 

There were also two cases involving “illegal possession of untaxed tobacco products”, which are being investigated, police said. 

Around 65 people were checked for residency status and four arrests were made in relation to undeclared work. One arrest was made for illegal residency. 

During traffic inspections, a driver was booked for having no insurance while three scooter-riders were pulled over for driving in undesignated areas.