A 23-year-old man has been arrested at Larnaca airport in connection with a major drug trafficking case involving cannabis, methamphetamine and cocaine, police confirmed on Wednesday.

The arrest was made shortly after 2.30pm, when the man arrived from abroad. Officers from the drug law enforcement unit (Ykan) detained him under a court warrant issued following evidence collected during the ongoing investigation. He has been taken into custody while the Nicosia branch of Ykan continues its inquiries.

This is the fifth arrest linked to the case, which began with a coordinated police operation in Nicosia on July 29. During that raid, officers found significant quantities of drugs hidden inside an apartment belonging to one of the suspects.

According to police, the seized substances included 6.3 kilograms of cannabis, about 984 grams of cannabis resin, 713 grams of methamphetamine, 93 grams of cocaine, and 337 hand-rolled cannabis cigarettes.

A 21-year-old man was first stopped by officers on July 29 while driving in Nicosia. A search of his flat later uncovered the drugs, leading to his arrest. Another 21-year-old was detained on August 6 after further evidence emerged.

Two more suspects, aged 22 and 20, were arrested on 11 and 12 August respectively, both under court warrants. Their case has already been filed with the criminal court of Nicosia for trial on charges of drug trafficking. The latest arrest links the 23-year-old to the wider network under investigation. Police have not disclosed further details about his role, but his detention suggests the inquiry is expanding.

Legal proceedings against the four earlier suspects are already under way, while the fifth man is expected to face questioning and possible charges.