Cyprus dismantles human trafficking group bringing migrants from Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Cyprus announced on Wednesday it dismantled a criminal human trafficking group responsible for bringing Syrian migrants via boats from Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey.
After three months of investigation, five suspects – all Syrians – were arrested after raiding several homes, Cypriot police said.
A Cyprus court ordered the detention of the suspects for eight days until police wrap up their investigation. The suspects face charges of belonging to a criminal migrant smuggling organization, the Associated Press reported.
Police spokesman Christos Andreou told The Associated Press that seven more Syrians were being sought in connection with the ring [group], including the ringleader who is believed to have fled abroad along with another ring member.
“The police raid also found 44 Syrian migrants living in those homes, all of whom are asylum seekers or have been accorded international protection status,” Andreou said. “The migrants will be questioned and released, if they’re not found to belong to the same ring.”
The arrests come as Cypriot authorities rescued 142 Syrian migrants aboard four separate boats over four consecutive days this week, The Associated Press noted.
Cypriot Ministry of Interior said the number of Syrian migrants who came by boats has increased in recent months. According to official figures, asylum applications in June and July reached a combined 1,285 this year – less than a third than the same period last year, The Associated Press indicated.