Further remands for huge people smuggling operation (Updated)

Two people aged 33 and 27 were remanded for eight days on Wednesday after they were arrested to facilitate police investigations into a case involving the attempted illegal entry of a total of 458 irregular migrants into Cyprus.

The latest arrests came after two other people, aged 41 and 23, were remanded for eight days on Tuesday after they were arrested for the involvement in the same case.

The migrants were discovered aboard six boats located off Cape Greco on Monday.

According to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), the two are facing several charges, including illegal entry into the Republic, assisting the illegal entry of third-country nationals, aiding third-country nationals with the intention of profit and transporting individuals aboard unsafe and overloaded vessels.

The 33-year-old was on the fourth boat, while the 27-year-old was on the fifth boat. Their arrests followed testimonies from fellow passengers who identified them to the police as the navigators of the two boats.

All six boats, detected by the radar of the Cyprus port and marine police, were escorted to Ayia Napa Marina. After recording the migrants’ details, they were transferred to the Pournara Reception Centre in Kokkinotrimithia.

The boats carried a total of 30, 24, 62, 37, 22 and 283 people, of whom 258 were men, 44 women, 123 children and 33 unaccompanied minors.

The migrants informed the police that the six vessels departed from Lebanon, with each person onboard having to pay around $3,000 to the smugglers.