Seized drug haul worth more than €1 million

The 500kg drug haul seized in a Larnaca warehouse is the largest quantity of drugs ever found in Cyprus, with a street value exceeding €1 million, police said on Friday.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency, police spokesman Christos Andreou said it was synthetic substance methedrone which was found in a warehouse at the old Larnaca airport.

“The cargo came to Cyprus by air from a third country outside of the European Union.”

“It does not appear that Cypriots have been cooperating with those who imported the drugs,” he added.

Andreou said authorities knew the country but could not publicly state it as efforts are underway with other nations so as to investigate the in-between stops until they arrived in Cyprus.

The drugs are worth more than €1m though the value differs from country to country, Andreou specified. The substance can be used as is but also as a precursor to create other synthetic drugs, therefore increasing the original quantity.

Police are also trying to investigate if Cyprus was deliberately chosen to transport the drugs to.

“The drug squad are investigating every piece of information based on the data we have before us.”

Asked about the storage of the drugs, Andreou said there are specific areas where evidence is stored in case they need to be presented in court.

“Then there are specific procedures to destroy these substances.”

The second-largest narcotics bust dates to 2014 and amounted to 112kg, he said.