Customs officers on Friday carried out inspections and seizures of e-cigarette liquids and other products containing synthetic narcotic substances and prohibited cannabinoids during a coordinated operation in Larnaca.
The customs department said it took part in a joint operation on February 20, with the police drug squad Ykan and the illegal betting unit, as well as the pharmaceutical services and health services.
The operation targeted premises in Larnaca offering cannabinoids and related products for sale.
During the search, officers identified and detained or confiscated 145 items, including electronic cigarettes, refill liquids, oral drops and two liquid products containing cannabinoids intended for use in pets.
According to the announcement, most of the products had been identified in previous inspections and were already analysed by the State General Laboratory, with tests confirming the presence of cannabinoids or other psychotropic substances.
In some cases, the dangerous chemical MDMB-4en-PINACA was detected, a substance described as having ‘very serious effects on human health.’
Samples from products not yet analysed will be sent to the State General Laboratory to determine their composition.
Depending on the findings, the items will either be confiscated or returned to the owner of the premises, the statement added.
Meanwhile, Ykan officers located and seized 193 packages of products containing cannabis or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Other services also seized 38 packages containing cannabidiol (CBD) products for which no marketing authorisation has been granted in the Republic.
The customs department stressed once again the extremely high risk posed by the circulation, sale and especially the uncontrolled consumption of such products without medical or pharmaceutical advice and supervision.
It noted that MDMB-4en-PINACA, in particular, is used illegally worldwide to doctor products marketed as ‘natural cannabis’ or vaping liquids.
According to The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, there have been more than 15 deaths associated with use of synthetic cannabinoid MDMB-4en-PINACA.
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