Two arrested in Paphos for illegal stay

A 32-year-old woman and 22-year-old man were arrested in Paphos this weekend for illegally staying in the Republic, Paphos police said on Monday.

The first arrested was the woman, in Yeroskipou around 9.30 on Sunday night.

According to Paphos deputy police chief Michalis Ioannou, she first arrived in Cyprus through Larnaca airport in 2018 to work as a domestic worker, and was granted a work permit expiring on March 14, 2021.

She did not renew her permit but continued illegally staying in Cyprus.

Ioannou said that she is currently in custody while the process for her deportation has been set in motion.

The second arrest was at 3am on Monday morning. While on patrol in Kato Paphos around 2am, officers intercepted the 22-year-old man as he exited a kiosk.

As the man did not have identification on him he was detained while his details were confirmed.

It was later determined that he had sought asylum and remained in the Republic despite his application being rejected in April 2021.

As a result he was arrested and taken to Paphos central police station, where he remains in custody.