Suspect Accused of Smuggling 6 Tons of Meat Remanded for 2 Days

I.K., who was arrested on charges of “Violating the Customs and Revenue Law” and “Importing Prohibited Goods” in connection with an incident in Haspolat, was brought before the court.

Police officer Ebrar Kiriş testified in court and presented the facts of the case.

Police said that at around 9 a.m. on September 15, 2026, the suspect, who lives in Tepebaşı and was driving a van, entered the country from South Cyprus and secretly crossed into the TRNC through the First-Degree Military Forbidden Zone from an area known as Büyük Kaymaklı.

The suspect was stopped on the Nicosia-Demirhan main road following surveillance by a team from the Narcotics and Smuggling Prevention Directorate, police said.

Police said the rear of the vehicle contained 233 lamb carcasses weighing 5 tonnes 880 kilograms, with a total value of TL7.938 million, which are prohibited from being imported. The suspect was subsequently arrested.

The police officer said the suspect had given a voluntary statement in connection with the case.

The meat was subsequently destroyed in the presence of the suspect under the supervision of Değirmenlik Municipality enforcement officers, in line with instructions from the Nicosia Veterinary Department, on the grounds that it posed a risk to public health. Police said seals and labels not belonging to the TRNC were discovered during the destruction process.

Police also said a court order was obtained on the same day to examine three mobile phones belonging to the suspect.

Between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. that day, inspections were carried out at cold-storage meat warehouses operated by the suspect in Tepebaşı. Police said 38 pieces of forequarter meat weighing 78.8 kilograms in total were found bearing seals that did not belong to the TRNC Veterinary Department and were seized as evidence.

MEAT ALSO FOUND AT BUTCHER SHOPS

Police said further meat was found during inspections of butcher shops belonging to the suspect in the Kyrenia area between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. the same day.

At the suspect’s meat market in Ozanköy, officers found a lamb carcass weighing 14.5 kilograms, four lamb legs weighing 10.4 kilograms in total, two racks of ribs weighing 5 kilograms in total, and three pieces of lamb forequarter weighing 5.110 kilograms in total. All were ready for sale and bore seals not belonging to the Veterinary Department.

Police said the 35.2 kilograms of meat were seized as evidence.

MEAT ALSO FOUND AT MARKET IN ALSANCAK

Police said that during an inspection of the butcher section of a market operated by the suspect in Alsancak later the same day, six pieces of lamb leg weighing 16.451 kilograms in total were found ready for sale and bearing seals that did not belong to the TRNC Veterinary Department. The meat was seized as evidence.

Police said the investigation was continuing and that further statements still needed to be taken, requesting that the suspect be remanded in custody for two days.

Judge Gizem Erciyas, after considering the evidence presented before her, ordered the suspect to remain in custody for two days.