A large quantity of cigarettes illegally bought in the north was confiscated on Saturday by customs officers at Paphos airport, as similar cases have multiplied over the past few months, both at airports and the Ayios Dhometios checkpoint, causing concern.
The passenger, a woman of British citizenship, was stopped by officers just before returning to the UK.
She was found to the carrying 225 cartons of 200 cigarettes each in her luggage, a total of 45 thousand cigaretes, which did not bear the appropriate legislation seal on the risks of smoking or the necessary security characteristics and traceability code.
She was subsequently arrested and remanded in custody for a period of four days.
'The timely intervention prevented such illegal tobacco products from being distributed abroad', customs officers said.