Man arrested in irregular migrant case

A 31-year-old man is in police custody on suspicion of assisting irregular migrants from Lebanon travel by boat to Cape Greco last week.

The man was arrested in Paphos on Thursday following a statement by a 22-year-old asylum seeker in the country.

According to the police, the witness said that together with another person, he paid the suspect, who was in Cyprus, €950 to help transport their relatives from Lebanon to Ayia Napa.

Following further investigations, it emerged that two boats, carrying the relatives of the asylum seeker, arrived in Ayia Napa on August 22.

Paphos CID issued an arrest warrant for the man for conspiracy to commit a crime, aiding and abetting illegal entry to the Republic of Cyprus, as well as smuggling of migrants by sea.

Meanwhile, as part of an agreement with Lebanon on the repatriation of migrants arriving in Cyprus, a chartered boat, accompanied by a vessel from the marine and port police, returned 88 people to Lebanon.