Man detained for illegally transporting 49 migrants by boat

A 39-year-old man was detained on Friday by court order for seven days, for the purpose of investigating a case of helping third-country nationals to enter the Republic.

Police arrested the suspect based on information that emerged, regarding the arrival of a number of immigrants by sea boat, in Famagusta, on Thursday night.

According to a police announcement, the 39-year-old is being investigated for illegal entry into the Republic, assisting third country persons to illegally enter the Republic, assisting third country nationals with intent and for profit, transporting persons by waterway in an unsafe or overloaded vessel, and offenses related to the United Nations Convention and International Organized Crime Legislation.

Specifically, the port and maritime police spotted a wooden boat shortly after 8 am on Thursday evening, off Cabo Greco. In the boat, which was approximately 10-12 meters long, there were 49 migrants: 27 men, five women, and 17 minors, of whom five were unaccompanied.

The migrants were collected and taken to the fishing shelter of Paralimni by the crew of the Limeniki vessel and after checks by immigration services, they were transferred to migrant accommodation.

From evidence obtained during questioning by Famagusta police, some of the immigrants allegedly paid the sum of 2,000 dollars to a person in their destination country to arrange their passage to Cyprus.

According to further evidence that emerged, the 39-year-old suspect is said to have been driving the boat when the migrants set off, and for most of the time until their arrival in Cyprus.

The case is under ongoing investigation.