Five arrested in Nicosia for migrant smuggling attempt

On the night of Monday, November 2, 2026, police officers from the Green Line Surveillance Sub-division intercepted a vehicle near Astromeritis and Peristerona after a high-speed chase. The driver, a 19-year-old from Pakistan, attempted to evade police instructions to stop, but was eventually forced to halt in the Akaki area. The police discovered four passengers in the car—three men aged 27, 26, and 20, and a 22-year-old woman—who were identified as residing illegally in the Republic of Cyprus.

Following their arrest, the five individuals were brought before the Nicosia District Court on Tuesday. The court issued an eight-day detention order against all suspects, who are being investigated for facilitating the illegal entry, transit, and stay of migrants in the Republic. Evidence suggests the group crossed from the occupied areas into the government-controlled areas shortly before the intervention by authorities. The Morfou Criminal Investigation Department (TAE) is leading the ongoing investigation into the incident, treating it as a case of human smuggling.