Drug cases investigated by the Drug Law Enforcement Unit (YKAN) have reached 718 since the beginning of 2026, involving 773 people, according to figures released on Wednesday.
Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), YKAN Commander Christos Andreou said the figures cover only the first seven months of the year, with five months still remaining in 2026.
He noted that the unit recorded 1,114 drug cases and 1,178 arrests during the whole of 2025.
Cocaine and captagon seizures increase
Andreou said officers have seized around 273kg of cannabis, 48kg of cannabis resin, 34 cannabis plants and 83kg of cocaine so far this year.
Cocaine seizures have already exceeded last year’s total of 51kg, while cannabis resin seizures rose sharply from just 2kg in 2025 to around 48kg this year.
Cannabis plant seizures remain lower than last year’s total, with 34 plants detected so far compared with 85 throughout 2025.
Methamphetamine (crystal) seizures reached around 2.5kg, compared with approximately 6.5kg during the whole of last year.
Authorities also seized 333 MDMA (ecstasy) tablets this year, slightly above the 313 tablets confiscated in 2025.
Captagon seizures recorded one of the sharpest increases, rising from 71 tablets last year to 1,194 tablets so far in 2026.
New trend emerges with poppy stems
Andreou said YKAN also identified drug-soaked paper this year, seizing 1.5kg and 993 sheets after almost no such cases were recorded in 2025.
The unit also confiscated 110 vials and 120 tablets containing doping substances.
A new development this year has been the emergence of poppy stems, an opioid product that had not previously been detected in Cyprus.
Authorities investigated 17 cases, arrested 22 people and seized 60kg of poppy stems.
The first case was detected on 19 June. Following nationwide operations, YKAN had arrested 21 suspects and seized the full 60kg by 25 June.
According to Andreou, the packages originated in Austria and were shipped through a courier company. Following YKAN’s intervention, the courier introduced measures to prevent similar shipments from reaching Cyprus.
Multiple routes used to import drugs
Andreou said drugs entering Cyprus originate from several countries, including Spain, Greece, the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Austria and Belgium.
Shipments arrive through courier services, cargo containers and travellers.
Regarding the occupied areas, he said captagon remains the main concern, adding that authorities have intelligence suggesting the drug may be trafficked through that route.
YKAN continues operations along the Green Line while maintaining daily efforts to target major drug traffickers and large-scale imports.
Andreou stressed that it is impossible to intercept every shipment entering Cyprus but said the unit remains focused on dismantling trafficking networks and bringing major dealers before the courts.
Also read: Two arrested with over two kilos of cannabis and €10,800
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