A 49 year old was fined €7500 after he was caught with a car full of clothes and other items from the Turkish occupied north, the Cyprus News Agency reported on Saturday.
The goods — with a value exceeding €30,000 — were found to be fake and were confiscated.
Police had received a tip off that a car parked outside the home of a Turkish Cypriot within the buffer zone in Pyla was being loaded with duty free items.
The car was put under surveillance and was stopped and searched at the Xylophagou exit on the motorway towards Ayia Napa.
The car was being driven by a Greek national who admitted that he had bought the items from the Turkish Cypriot in Pyla and had not paid any duty. He was arrested and taken to Oroklini police station while his car was impounded.
Customs officials who inspected the car at the police station found a total of 5793 items — 428 bags, 71 wallets, 308 belts, 2159 pairs of underclothes, 66 beach towels, 2,477 T shirts, 52 pairs of shoes, 169 caps, 32 shirts, 18 pairs of socks and 13 perfumes.
In an announcement, the Customs Department said it had fined the man €7000 for copyright infringement and violation of the Green Line regulation and another €500 to release his car.
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