Over 2,000 third country nationals deported last year

Over two thousand third country nationals were deported last year, with the number doubling in the past two years, police said on Monday.

Spokesman Christos Andreou said irregular migrant deportations in 2021 numbered 2,320 against 1,272 the previous year.

In 2019, 417 irregular migrants were deported while 2018 saw 695 returned to their countries.

Andreou said police had carried out various operations, especially last year, together with the interior ministry, to locate migrants staying in Cyprus without permission.

He said operations took place across the Republic, focusing on locations frequented by migrants.

In some cases, police find people who had been implicated in criminal offences, the spokesman said.