SBA and Cyprus join forces to foil illegal immigrants

A PEOPLE-smuggling ring has been smashed by SBA (British Base Area) and Cypriot police, it was reported in Simerini yesterday.

The illegal immigrants set out from Turkey to the free areas of Cyprus via the occupied north and are linked to a series of fires in the area – believed to have been set in order to divert the attention of authorities so they can cross the green line unnoticed.

The report said the British Bases police had come to the above conclusion based on testimonies of people apprehended between Strovilia and Pergamos.

The police launched a full-scale operation and arrested four illegal immigrants and a Turkish Cypriot who was helping them cross into the free areas. The five men said they were to be picked up by a man from Bangladesh who is living in the free areas legally.

Since last Saturday, the Bases police have managed to arrest another 11 Pakistanis who were attempting to cross into the south. In another case, three Syrians were arrested.

All the suspects admitted that they arrived on the island in the north having paid money in Turkey in dollars as they were promised a life of luxury and work in Cyprus.
was divided and discovered this upon their arrival.
The report also said the British Bases police had revealed that a large number of people were smuggling alcohol and cigarettes from the north.

Since the crossings opened in April 2003, British Bases police have confiscated a number of goods that Greek and Turkish Cypriots attempted to smuggle across the green line. They now keep a 24-hour vigil and have managed to prevent smuggling in a number of cases.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.