A man aged 22 and a woman aged 54 are under arrest as police investigate a case of aiding illegal entry into the Republic.

Police said the two were arrested on Thursday evening after they stopped a car driven by the man, with the woman as co-driver. Also in the car were two women aged 26 and 23 who told police they had crossed over into the Republic from the north on March 23.

They said they had met the man and woman by chance and had asked them to transfer them to a reception centre for irregular migrants in the Nicosia district.

Officers at Oroklini police station are continuing their investigation.