Tobacco Tops the List of Confiscated Goods by the Greek Cypriot Customs from Northern Cyprus

The newspaper states that tobacco, cigarettes, hookah, and tobacco heating products are leading the list of seized goods, surpassing other product categories by a wide margin. The seizures continue to rise day by day, indicating the scale of the problem.

The article notes that the confiscated goods represent only a fraction of the products being smuggled since full-scale, 24/7 controls are not possible due to a lack of checkpoints, allowing smugglers to exploit these gaps.

The Green Line Regulation allows each adult to carry up to 40 packets (4 cartons) of tobacco, but "smugglers" often attempt to transport tobacco and related products to the South by hiding or camouflaging them in various parts of their vehicles. Recent incidents include individuals attempting to take cigarettes bought in Northern Cyprus to the UK in a similar manner, and a similar case at Paphos Airport.

The second most common item purchased from Northern Cyprus is fuel, and after the decision by the Greek Cypriot Customs to prohibit the transport of fuel in 10-liter containers to the South, there has been a decrease in the amount of fuel being transported in this manner. Controls on fuel in trucks and commercial vehicles have also been intensified, and a €4 fine per liter of illegally transported fuel is applied.

From the beginning of the year until early September, approximately 6,500 liters of fuel were confiscated at crossing points, and this fuel was stored for a while before being destroyed in a designated area in the Republic of Cyprus.

As for the third most confiscated item, dairy products, including halloumi cheese, are seized when transported from Northern Cyprus to the South. Despite the European Commission's recognition of halloumi production and granting Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status for Cypriot halloumi, it is not included in the Green Line Regulation.

Source: TAK