Cyprus drug unit conducts series of opium poppy seizures and arrests

The Cyprus Drug Law Enforcement Unit (YKAN) has executed multiple operations over several days, resulting in the seizure of nearly 20 kilograms of opium poppy products. In the first case, a package containing over six kilograms of dried poppy stalks was intercepted at Larnaca airport, leading to the discovery of an additional four kilograms and processing equipment at a residence in Nicosia. A 35-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman, both Indian nationals, were arrested and remanded in custody for eight days. In a separate operation in Limassol, police arrested a 23-year-old man after finding 418 grams of poppy pods in his possession. A subsequent search of his home led to the arrest of a 21-year-old associate and the seizure of another 1.68 kilograms of the substance. Both men in the Limassol case were also remanded for eight days by the district court. Authorities noted that this represents an unprecedented volume of such substances being detected in Cyprus. A third investigation involving seven kilograms of seized material is also under review by authorities.