Three men were remanded for eight days by the Famagusta District Court on Tuesday on suspicion of having aided 50 migrants enter Cyprus illegally.

Police said that in the early hours of Monday, a boat was detected sailing in the sea area northeast of Paralimni.

At around 4.20am the boat was stopped by a port police three miles from shore.

There were 50 people on board, of which 32 were men, five women and 13 minors. The boat, accompanied by the police police, sailed to the fishing shelter of Paralimni, where the passengers were received by the authorities.

Witnesses told police that two 21-year-olds and a 25-year-old piloted the boat.

The three men were arrested and appeared in court on Tuesday morning, where they were remanded.