Two Turkish Cypriot men sentenced 5 and 6 years in prison for smuggling drugs to the north from south Cyprus

Two Turkish Cypriot men have been sentenced to lengthy jail terms after they were found guilty of attempting to smuggle drugs from the south Cyprus to north Cyprus via the Ledras Street crossing point.

Oguzhan Yildiz and Sahin Cepik were sentenced to 5 and 6 years in prison respectively by a court in Lefkosa on Monday, October, 2. Sahin Cepik got a lengthier sentence due to previous drug related offences.

The pair were arrested back in June after Turkish Cypriot police received a tip off that one of the pair would attempt to cross at Ledras Street before taking the drugs to Caglayan Park, just outside Lefkosia’s city center.

Police prosecutor explained that a total of 574 grams of cannabis and 125 grams of cocaine were transported to the TRNC, sent by a wanted Turkish Cypriot living in the south.

He added that they were “constantly in communication” with the Turkish Cypriot in the south via WhatsApp.

Delivering the judgement, the chief judge noted that Cepik had previously received a four-month prison sentence for drug offences and said he “did not reform despite his sentence”. She added that there was also another pending drugs case which had been filed against him.

The panel of three judges unanimously agreed on the sentences.