Two passengers of Russian origin holding Cypriot citizenship were intercepted by Customs Department officials at Larnaca Airport for carrying undeclared luxury items.
The incident took place on 21 March 2026, when the two travellers, arriving from Switzerland, chose the green channel — effectively declaring they had nothing to report. However, acting on intelligence, customs officers decided to inspect their luggage.
In the first passenger’s luggage, a luxury watch worth approximately €40,000 was discovered. Duties and taxes of €7,664 were levied, along with a monetary surcharge of €766 and an out-of-court settlement of €3,070.
The second passenger was found carrying a watch worth €9,400, as well as ski clothing and footwear valued at €4,500. Authorities collected duties of €3,305, a surcharge of €330, and an out-of-court settlement of €1,320.
Failure to declare luxury goods constitutes a violation of customs legislation, and both cases were handled in accordance with established procedures.
