Police on Saturday said they have arrested three people in Larnaca for facilitating an illegal crossing into the republic.

According to a written announcement, on Friday night officers flagged down a car driven by a 24-year-old man. A 25-year-old man was sitting in the passenger seat, with a 30-year-old woman, and two more men aged 25 and 26 in the back seat.

During questioning, the two male passengers told police that they had crossed from the north into government-controlled areas.

They also claimed that the other three people told they would take them to a migrant reception centre in Nicosia.

The two were taken to a reception centre, while the other three are expected to face Larnaca district court later in the day.

They are facing charges of conspiring to commit a crime and aiding in an illegal crossing.