Cyprus’ Customs Department has stepped up enforcement along the island’s UN-monitored Green Line after a spate of small-scale smuggling incidents. Between 6 and 15 February, officers intercepted three separate cases in which travellers attempted to bring untaxed tobacco products and fuel from the island’s north into the government-controlled areas. The largest haul came on 6 February at the busy Ledra Street pedestrian checkpoint, where a French tourist was found with 20 cartons of cigarettes that lacked the bilingual Greek-Turkish health warnings required under EU rules. He paid an €800 out-of-court settlement and forfeited the goods.(in-cyprus.philenews.com)
Similar seizures followed at the Agios Dometios crossing on 12 and 15 February. In one instance, a Cypriot driver was caught with 30 cartons of heated-tobacco sticks; in another, a motorist attempted to carry 80 litres of petrol across the line—both actions prohibited by the 2004 Green Line Regulation, which limits the quantity of duty-free goods that can legally cross. Fines ranging from €400 to €1,200 were imposed, and in one case the offender’s vehicle was temporarily confiscated.(in-cyprus.philenews.com)
Although the amounts appear minor, officials say the pattern highlights a wider uptick in informal “suitcase trade” after this winter’s tourism rebound. The Customs Department has responded by increasing random inspections, deploying x-ray scanners and re-training staff to detect heated-tobacco products, which have become a preferred commodity for smugglers because of high excise differentials between the two sides of the divide.
![Customs officers tighten checks at Green Line crossings, seizing duty-free cigarettes and fuel]()
For business travellers and relocation managers, the clamp-down is a reminder that the Green Line remains an external EU border in customs terms, even though EU free-movement rules allow EU nationals to cross with valid ID. Companies moving staff or samples across the buffer zone should review the Regulation’s €260 personal allowance and the strict ban on fuel transfers, which can unwittingly be breached by driving across with a full jerry-can. Employers are also advised to warn assignees that on-the-spot fines are payable only in cash or by card at Customs offices—non-payment can lead to court action.
If you or your employees are planning trips to Cyprus and need clarity on entry documents or multiple crossings, VisaHQ’s dedicated Cyprus portal (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) offers up-to-date guidance and application support for visas, residence permits and passport renewals, streamlining the paperwork so you can focus on compliance with customs rules rather than red tape.
Industry groups welcome the tougher stance, noting that illicit trade undermines legitimate retailers and deprives the state of tax revenue. However, hoteliers in Nicosia’s old city worry that overly intrusive checks could deter day-trippers, and they have called on the government to balance enforcement with a “tourist-friendly” approach during the upcoming Easter peak.
Similar seizures followed at the Agios Dometios crossing on 12 and 15 February. In one instance, a Cypriot driver was caught with 30 cartons of heated-tobacco sticks; in another, a motorist attempted to carry 80 litres of petrol across the line—both actions prohibited by the 2004 Green Line Regulation, which limits the quantity of duty-free goods that can legally cross. Fines ranging from €400 to €1,200 were imposed, and in one case the offender’s vehicle was temporarily confiscated.(in-cyprus.philenews.com)
Although the amounts appear minor, officials say the pattern highlights a wider uptick in informal “suitcase trade” after this winter’s tourism rebound. The Customs Department has responded by increasing random inspections, deploying x-ray scanners and re-training staff to detect heated-tobacco products, which have become a preferred commodity for smugglers because of high excise differentials between the two sides of the divide.
For business travellers and relocation managers, the clamp-down is a reminder that the Green Line remains an external EU border in customs terms, even though EU free-movement rules allow EU nationals to cross with valid ID. Companies moving staff or samples across the buffer zone should review the Regulation’s €260 personal allowance and the strict ban on fuel transfers, which can unwittingly be breached by driving across with a full jerry-can. Employers are also advised to warn assignees that on-the-spot fines are payable only in cash or by card at Customs offices—non-payment can lead to court action.
If you or your employees are planning trips to Cyprus and need clarity on entry documents or multiple crossings, VisaHQ’s dedicated Cyprus portal (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) offers up-to-date guidance and application support for visas, residence permits and passport renewals, streamlining the paperwork so you can focus on compliance with customs rules rather than red tape.
Industry groups welcome the tougher stance, noting that illicit trade undermines legitimate retailers and deprives the state of tax revenue. However, hoteliers in Nicosia’s old city worry that overly intrusive checks could deter day-trippers, and they have called on the government to balance enforcement with a “tourist-friendly” approach during the upcoming Easter peak.
