Cash-in-a-bag woman jailed
A WOMAN who used the TRNC as a “stepping stone” to take 1.35 million euros in cash to South Cyprus has been given a one-year prison sentence.
Oleksandra Suprun was caught with 500,000 euros in undeclared cash in her rucksack during an operation carried out by the Financial Crimes Department at Ercan airport on June 16 this year.
Investigations revealed that she had brought in a further 850,000 euros to the TRNC on three separate occasions and took the money to South Cyprus.
Judge Fadıl Aksun handed down the verdict on behalf of a panel of three judges at Lefkoşa Assize Court.
Judge Aksun emphasised that the crime of “violating the Currency Exchange Law”, for which Suprun was convicted of, carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.
The judge stated that “unchecked money transfers are not just a national risk but a global one”. He continued: “In this context, the regulations in our country are in the same framework as the EU to try to control cash transfers by introducing international and national norms in the world.
“The defendant before us also tried to use our country as a stepping stone by . . . transferring the money under the pretext of investment to South Cyprus.
“Thus, although she knew that she would not invest in [South Cyprus], by facilitating this money coming into our country and from here to South Cyprus, she misled public authorities and put the country’s financial credibility in a difficult situation. . . In this context, it is a part of public interest not to tolerate behaviours that will wear down our country’s financial credibility, give the image that our country has an uncontrolled financial structure and result in our country’s exclusion from the world economy.
“In light of all that has been said above, it is impossible for us to hand down any sentence other than one that will deprive the liberty of the defendant.”