27-year-old held at Larnaca airport with 22.5 kg of cannabis
A 27-year-old man was arrested at Larnaca airport on Thursday morning after customs and the anti-drugs unit found 42 packages of cannabis weighing about 22.5 kg in his travel bag. He had arrived on a flight from Bangkok via Doha and was held on suspicion of illegal importation, illegal possession and possession with intent to supply.
🇨🇾 Larnaca Airport · Cyprus
·
Arrested
1
Cannabis
22.5 kg
Agencies
Anti-Drugs Unit (YKAN) of the Directorate for Combating Organised Crime (DAOE), Cyprus customs department
A 27-year-old man was arrested at Larnaca airport on Thursday morning after
about 22.5 kilograms of cannabis was found in his luggage.[1][2]He had arrived
on a flight from Bangkok via Doha and was stopped for a check after drug squad
officers assessed information they had received.[1][2]Philenews described the
arrested man as a British national.[1]Kıbrıs Postası also described the arrested man as a British national.[2]The Cyprus Mail reported instead that
he was a Thai national.[3]
The operation was carried out by the Anti-Drugs Unit (YKAN) of the Directorate
for Combating Organised Crime (DAOE), together with customs officials.[1][2]A
search of his travel bag found 42 plastic packages of cannabis.[1][2]SigmaLive
English described the packages as 42 nylon packages holding about 22.5 kilograms
in total.[4]The Cyprus Mail reported that customs seized the drugs and handed
them over to YKAN.[3]
He was arrested for illegal importation, illegal possession and possession of
drugs with intent to supply.[1][2]DAOE-YKAN is continuing its investigation.[1][2]
Photos and video
Packages of cannabis found in the traveller's luggage at Larnaca airport, in a photo published with the report.Photo details
Original
1170 × 780 px · JPEG · 217 KB
SHA-256
51ea0bb7b7c1f6b1…
Retrieved
13 Nov 2026
Shown
our 320px copy; enlarging loads the original
Source: PhilenewsThe traveller's suitcase with packages inside, photographed during the search at Larnaca airport.Photo details
Original
1024 × 683 px · JPEG · 192 KB
SHA-256
7d2bf7c0f58fc7cf…
Retrieved
13 Nov 2026
Shown
our 320px copy; enlarging loads the original
Source: PhilenewsSealed packages of cannabis recovered from the travel bag at Larnaca airport.Photo details
Philenews and Kıbrıs Postası describe the arrested man as a British national while the Cyprus Mail reports he was a Thai national; no account is treated as settled.
No remand hearing, formal charge or court date for the arrested man has been reported.
The 22.5 kilograms is given as an approximate gross weight, and no laboratory confirmation of the cannabis was reported.
No value estimate for the seized cannabis was published.
The outcome of the continuing DAOE-YKAN investigation has not been published.
Cyprus police arrested 26 people on 5 November 2026 in nationwide Operation Plegma against a suspected drug-trafficking network. The case stems from a February seizure of 167 kg of cannabis and 4.5 kg of cannabis resin alongside cocaine, followed by asset freezes worth about 500,000 euros.
The Nicosia district court remanded a 22-year-old man in custody for eight days on 30 October 2026 after police seized about 6.4kg of cannabis, including 2.56kg found in a parcel from abroad. The parcel had been declared as Lego toys and was addressed to a recipient in Engomi; a taxi driver who collected it was arrested and later released when no evidence was found against him.
A 19-year-old British passport holder was arrested at Larnaca airport on the morning of 23 October 2026 after customs and the anti-drugs unit found 26 packages holding about 28 kg of cannabis in two of his suitcases. He had flown in from Thailand via Dubai and was due in court for a remand order.
Two men aged 35 and 26 were arrested in Limassol after police seized almost 8 kg of cannabis from their cars and homes. Officers watched a handover outside one man's home, then recovered 3.39 kg and 4.52 kg hauls plus small amounts of cannabis.
