A man was handed concurrent prison sentences, the longest of five years, for aiding and abetting 31 illegal immigrants from Syria entering the Republic of Cyprus by sea.

The attorney-general’s office said on Monday that the accused was found guilty by the criminal court on five charges.

The charges were the entrance of an illegal immigrant and facilitating an illegal immigrant to enter the Republic, transporting people by sea in an overcrowded vessel, the participation in the human smuggling and the participation in an organised criminal group.

The court found that the accused had committed the crimes so that he did not have to pay the smugglers and had agreed to navigate the vessel from a Syrian port to Cyprus, fully aware of the fact that he was transporting illegal immigrants.

According to the attorney-general’s office, the defendant had agreed to take navigation lessons and had been in contact with another person who was laying out the course.

The criminal court said the number of illegal immigrants on the boat was 31 and the vessel was overcrowded and unsafe.

It added that the accused, without any qualms, had made himself an active member of the team exploiting humans.

Due to the increase in such cases and the fact that such crimes cause social and financial problems, as well as difficulties in policing, the criminal court said it was necessary to hand down exemplary penalties.