A 19-year-old woman has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for importing a large quantity of cocaine into Cyprus. The decision was handed down on Wednesday by the Larnaca criminal court.

The woman was arrested on June 25 after arriving at Larnaca airport from abroad. Customs officers carried out checks on her luggage and found 13 packages containing cocaine. The total gross weight of the drugs was 8kg and 760g.

The drugs were seized and the woman was taken into custody for questioning. The case was investigated by the Larnaca district unit of the Cyprus drug law enforcement department (Ykan).

Authorities said the seizure formed part of ongoing efforts by Ykan, in cooperation with customs, to prevent drugs from entering Cyprus.

The drugs were described by officials as white powder, packed in separate parcels inside the woman’s suitcase. The large amount made the case one of the most significant seizures in recent months.