Shop in Nicosia Sold Cigarettes to a Minor, Investigation Launched

The General Directorate of Police (Polis Genel Müdürlüğü), during inspections carried out under the “Safe School” (Güvenli Okul Projesi) project, discovered a case of cigarette sales to a person under the age of 18 in one of the shops in Nicosia. The incident was identified after the start of the 2025–2026 school year during control activities near educational institutions.

According to the police, inspections were conducted near schools as part of the project’s implementation. As a result of these checks in Nicosia, one of the shops was caught selling tobacco products to an underage buyer.

Legal proceedings have been initiated against the shop owner. According to available information, the investigation is ongoing; no additional details have been provided by the police.

For residents of Nicosia and other settlements of Northern Cyprus, this means that the police are carrying out targeted raids near schools and will continue monitoring compliance with the ban on selling tobacco products to minors. Official measures and the outcome of the investigation will depend on the findings of the police inspection and the legal procedures undertaken.