TWO HUNDRED immigrants were rounded up and their residence papers inspected during the early hours of yesterday morning, police said.
The large-scale police operation was carried out in the old part of Nicosia while the majority of immigrants were fast asleep in their beds.
Around 250 officers including immigration police, the Rapid Reaction Unit (MMAD), traffic police and officers stationed at Nicosia district’s police headquarters, sealed off the area at 4.30am.
Police raided about 50 premises and ordered 200 immigrants to show them their papers.
Nicosia police chief Kypros Michaelides said the operation was planned following recent conflicts between immigrants using weapons such as sticks, bats and metal rods.
“Lately we observed a huge increase in criminal activities involving immigrants. Specifically in the centre of Nicosia we noted conflicts between immigrants to settle their differences,” he said.
“A situation developed that could not continue so Nicosia police’s leadership organised an operation to locate such items.”
Starting last week police collected information and carried out surveillance in the old town. A number of buildings were identified as suspicious regarding the comings and goings of immigrants and included in yesterday’s raid.
Of the 200 immigrants told to identify themselves and present their papers, only 50 had their papers in order.
“Around 150 were taken down to the police station to confirm their personal data on the computer database,” he said.
Of the 150, some 55 were found to be illegal, he said.
The illegal immigrants were immediately put on a bus for Larnaca’s detention centre while authorities began the procedure for their deportation, police said.
Michaelides said police would continue to carry out operations to locate other illegal immigrants. The fact that one in four immigrants were in Cyprus illegally was something of a concern to authorities, police said.
Because the raid took place during the early hours, police were unable to determine where, if anywhere, the illegal immigrants were employed. Investigators said they would be questioning the 55 before their deportation and if any information was passed on regarding their place of employment it would be followed up and their employers could face prosecution.
