The Assize Court sitting in Larnaca today sentenced a 35-year-old man to 12 years in prison, finding him guilty in a case of drug importation and trafficking.
The case came to light on May 19, 2025, in the context of cooperation between the Drug Law Enforcement Unit (YKAN) and the Customs Authorities to detect drugs imported into the Republic of Cyprus via postal parcels. During the inspection of a parcel located in a temporary storage warehouse at Larnaca Airport, which had arrived on a flight from abroad, customs officers found 30 airtight packages containing cannabis plant material, with a total gross weight of approximately 18 kilograms.
The following day, on May 20, 2025, as part of a coordinated YKAN operation, the accused was arrested when he appeared to collect the parcel, using the details of another person and concealing his true identity.
In a search that followed with a judicial warrant at an apartment in Larnaca, various exhibits and documents related to the case were found, as well as a cardboard box containing a small amount of cannabis plant material weighing approximately 20 grams. The 35-year-old had been arrested and remanded in custody to facilitate inquiries in the context of investigating a case of conspiracy to commit a felony, illegal importation and possession of drugs with the intent to supply to other persons, as well as offenses related to forgery and impersonation.
The Larnaca branch of YKAN investigated the case, which was brought before the Assize Court, which ultimately imposed a 12-year prison sentence on the accused.
