Five Israeli nationals will face charges at Larnaca District Court after being arrested in a major joint operation by Police and the Customs Department for attempting to smuggle thousands of cigarette cartons to Israel.
The suspects, aged 31 to 39, were caught loading boxes onto a vessel at Larnaca fishing harbour, police said. The cigarettes were allegedly purchased from occupied Cyprus.
Authorities arrested four men at the scene while loading untaxed cigarettes onto a boat, with a woman later detained during follow-up investigations.
Police searches of two vehicles, a hotel room, and a rented house in Larnaca led to the seizure of 10,503 cartons of cigarettes, valuables, a substantial amount of cash, and two grammes of cocaine.
The suspects allegedly bought large quantities of cigarettes from occupied Cyprus to sell at a premium in Israel, according to police sources.
Customs authorities are investigating possible connections to accomplices in government-controlled areas.
The operation involved Cyprus’s drug law enforcement unit (YKAN), Larnaca’s criminal investigation department, the police dog unit, and customs officials.
