Israeli nationals fined by customs for smuggling cigarettes at checkpoints

On September 6, 2026, Cyprus Customs Department officers intercepted a taxi with Turkish Cypriot license plates at the Agios Dometios crossing point. The vehicle was transporting five Israeli citizens carrying 49 cartons of cigarettes, each containing 200 cigarettes, which lacked mandatory health warnings in Greek or Turkish and lacked required security markings and traceability codes, indicating they were untaxed.

Following the discovery, the tobacco products were seized for destruction. The suspects were initially arrested for the offenses but were released after agreeing to an out-of-court settlement. Sources provide conflicting information regarding the financial penalty: Sigma Live reports a total fine of €4,000, while Philenews mentions a total of €4,600 involving two checkpoints. The inspections were conducted as part of routine enforcement of the Green Line Regulation, which governs trade and movement between the two sides of the island.