An 80-year-old man was arrested at the Ayios Dhometios crossing after customs officers found 200 litres of fuel concealed in his vehicle during a routine inspection on Thursday.

The customs department said officers discovered ten 20-litre plastic containers in the rear of the vehicle, containing 160 litres of diesel and 40 litres of petrol. 

The driver was attempting to enter the government-controlled areas when he was stopped.

Authorities arrested the individual, while the fuel and the vehicle were confiscated as evidence. 

He was later released after requesting an out-of-court settlement, paying a €1,000 fine.

Customs officials said the quantity far exceeded permitted limits for personal transport and constituted a clear breach of regulations governing the movement of fuel across crossing points. 

They also raised safety concerns over the storage of fuel in improvised containers such as plastic water bottles.

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