Nine tonnes of fuel were found in a truck on Wednesday, as the 54-year-old Greek Cypriot driver – who was subsequently arrested – was entering Dhali in the Nicosia district from the buffer zone.

The truck had been fitted with nine-tonne metal tank, which was full to the brim with fuel from the north.

Police officers informed the customs department that they had also found four 20-litre plastic canisters containing a total of 80 litres of petrol and three 18-litre metal canisters containing a total of 54 litres of engine oil.

The man was arrested and later released after an out-of-court settlement of €40,000.

Engine oil was also smuggled