Narco dog help arrest man carrying cannabis at Ercan airport

An individual facing drug charges was arrested when a narcotic dog at Ercan airport reacted to a suitcase in his possession.

The suspect, MT, 44, a Turkish Cypriot was arrested at Ercan Airport on the night of Saturday November 9 after he was found carrying drugs.

He was brought to the Lefkosa district court on Sunday on charges of "importing and possessing illegal narcotics."

Police in court testimony said a police team from the Narcotics and Anti-Smuggling Directorate conducted a search in the arrivals hall at Lefkosa Ercan Airport after the dog named Pamir reacted to the suitcase in the suspect's possession.

During the search, a substance believed to be a type of cannabis mixed with tobacco, weighing approximately one gram, was found in a Parliament brand cigarette pack in the pocket of the coat in the suitcase.

The suspect said that he had bought the drugs from a person he did not know in Taksim, Istanbul.

Police said the drugs would be sent for analysis and that the investigation was ongoing, and requested that the suspect be detained for 3 days at first.

The suspect, who spoke in court apologized and said, "I had no bad intentions. It was in my coat pocket, inside the suitcase. It is a single wrap. It does not even weigh a gram."