A 36-year-old man was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison after being convicted for assisting illegal entry into the government-controlled areas.

Larnaca criminal court issued its sentence on Thursday after hearing that the man was found driving five other irregular migrants in his car.

The incident was uncovered by police in June, 2022, when officers stopped the car and checked the passengers.

They soon discovered that the five passengers had crossed from the north. The court further heard that they had paid a trafficker who in turn connected them to the 36-year-old driver.