The Cyprus Customs and Excise Department has announced that following a ruling by the Nicosia District Court, it handed over on Tuesday to the Department of Antiquities an old ecclesiastical book dating back to 1795 AD.

It says that “the ancient bible had been located and seized by officers of the Customs Department on the 26th of June 2018, during a vehicle inspection at the Agios Dometios crossing point.”

The bible was transported in a vehicle from the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus to the government controlled areas. It adds that both the Police and the Department of Antiquities were informed of the seizure of the ancient book and that they further investigated of the case, that ended up before the Nicosia District Court.

The Customs Department says that on the 22nd of January 2025, the Police informed it about the Court’s decision that ruled that the “ancient book shall be transferred to and remain in the possession of the Department of Antiquities.”

This, it notes, is part of the ongoing efforts of the Customs Department to protect the cultural heritage of Cyprus and combat the illegal trafficking of antiquities. 

It also  underlines, it concludes, the importance of cooperation between the competent authorities to preserve the history and heritage of Cyprus.