A man appeared in court in the north on Monday, accused of robbing six asylum seekers who had been smuggled with his help from Turkey to northern Cyprus.

In court, police officer Ali Aydoganli explained that six people had arrived on a ferry in Kyrenia from Turkey on February 5, hidden in the back of a lorry.

They were then driven to the village of Tymbou, where they were received by the suspect.

The six refugees were then detected by Turkish Cypriot police near the green line and arrested. Upon their arrest, they filed complaints, saying that the man who received them in Tymbou had stolen their mobile phones, wallets and passports.

The suspect was then found and arrested.

Judge Zehra Yalkut Bilgec ordered that he be remanded in custody for three days, with the police’s investigation into the matter ongoing.