Customs at the border crossing North to South

Vic48


Joined: 25/02/2010
Posts: 27

Message Posted:
01/12/2010 16:18

Hi there



I travelled for the 1st time through Larnaca and crossed over into the North. Crossing the border from the North to the South on my return journey, we were stopped by Customs and asked if we had any alcohol or tobacco. Do they stop everyone at Customs? Would anyone know how much tobacco you can buy in the North which you can take to the South via Larnaca airport. We also bought some tobacco at Larnaca on the way in, which we packed in our cases to take back to the UK - would they take this off you or are you allowed to buy in the south at Larnaca and take back through the South. Its all very confusing!



Thanks Vic

yorgozlu



Joined: 16/06/2009
Posts: 4437

Message Posted:
01/12/2010 16:28

Treat the 2 parts of island as 2 different countries and you'll have no problems at all.

Pugwash


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 1797

Message Posted:
01/12/2010 16:36

Wells said yorgozlu

Stewart


Joined: 19/07/2008
Posts: 1107

Message Posted:
01/12/2010 16:44

Hi It depends on which crossing point as to wether you get searched each time....best bet is not to have any cigs or alcohol when you go from North to south...buy it at larnaca on your way back home

dobbo



Joined: 13/06/2007
Posts: 72

Message Posted:
01/12/2010 16:51

40 cigs and 1 bottle of spirit north to south.

Ailletoo


Joined: 24/01/2009
Posts: 1003

Message Posted:
01/12/2010 16:52

The Allowance for cigarettes going from North to South is 40 cigs..ie.. 2 packs of 20. Anything else, if you are unlucky enough to be stopped will be taken from you and 'destroyed' at the rate of about 40 a day!



I have been crossing over there (Metehan) for 4 years and only got stopped once so I guess it's luck of the draw. On that occasion I did have 400 cigs, I don't even smoke and they were for other people. Customs were not interested in Alcohol only in the cigarettes.



Does not matter where you buy, The duty free allowance in the country where your journey ends remains the same.

Stewart


Joined: 19/07/2008
Posts: 1107

Message Posted:
01/12/2010 16:55

Hi...at the Plya crossing point..they take ALL Alcohol and ALL cigs except for 1 pack of 20 cigs ( ie not a miluti pack ) but a single pack of 20...and they ALWAYS check

newscoop


Joined: 23/12/2007
Posts: 2197

Message Posted:
01/12/2010 16:59

Vic48;



What the posters aren't telling you is when you cross at Beyarmudu (not Pile) you are being searched by the SBA police.



In other words they are working for the UK.



Nowt to do with the GC's.

westender


Joined: 14/05/2009
Posts: 328

Message Posted:
01/12/2010 17:15

I would have thought that if you had the receipt they could not confiscate them as you had paid duty in the RoC. When my husbad smoked we got stopped at Customs going into the UK from Turkey. We had our allowance (200 cigs each) but he also some he had bought in France & taken out with him, when he pointed this out they said 'that's ok you've paid EU duty on them.'

Harold2555



Joined: 19/04/2008
Posts: 1139

Message Posted:
01/12/2010 17:39

Also not answered is the question about cigarettes you buy in the south and then take back into the ROC. As these have had ROC duty paid on them there should not be a problem. Laziness means that I sometimes buy 200 when I come in through Larnaca and bring them North and take some back with me if I am only here for a few days. Never a problem.



Harold