Customs department issues fines for fuel and refrigerant gas smuggling

On May 28, 2026, customs officers and Nicosia police conducted an operation at a transport company facility, uncovering an illegal transfer of fuel brought from the occupied territories into other vehicles using an electric pump. The owner of the company, a Greek Cypriot, was arrested for violating Green Line regulations, and both the vehicle and the fuel were confiscated. The individual was subsequently released after paying an 18,000 euro out-of-court settlement. In a separate incident on May 25, 2026, a 36-year-old Turkish Cypriot was stopped at the Agios Dometios crossing point. Customs officers discovered 40 cylinders of refrigerant gas in his commercial vehicle, which he admitted had no accompanying documentation. Due to suspicions that the goods originated from Turkey, the items and the vehicle were seized. The driver was arrested and later released after reaching an out-of-court settlement and paying a 15,000 euro fine. All confiscated goods are designated for recycling or destruction by licensed companies.