A significant find of liquid cocaine at Larnaca airport has prompted authorities in Cyprus to search for an illegal laboratory. A 65-year-old American man was arrested on Tuesday after customs officers discovered four kilograms of the substance in his luggage.
Photo: en.philenews.com
The retired man arrived from Canada via Vienna and was detained after a routine inspection at around 2pm. Acting on intelligence from the anti-drugs unit YKAN, customs officials uncovered ten nylon packages concealed within plastic cosmetic containers. Upon further testing, the liquid was confirmed to be cocaine, marking one of the largest seizures of its kind in the island’s history.
Photo: en.philenews.com
The discovery has raised alarm among local drug enforcement agencies, as liquid cocaine requires specialised facilities for processing back into solid form. According to reports, investigations are currently underway to determine whether such a laboratory exists within Cyprus.
Despite being in custody, the American man is reportedly refusing to cooperate with police, complicating the ongoing investigation. Liquid cocaine is predominantly trafficked from Latin America, where it is often liquefied to evade detection during transport.
As YKAN intensifies its efforts to dismantle the operations behind this significant find, authorities are keen to understand the broader implications of this incident on drug trafficking routes into and through Cyprus.
