SIX PEOPLE have been arrested for smuggling illegally immigrants into Cyprus through the occupied areas, in what police believe to be a major bust in a human trafficking ring.
The people traffickers are mainly from Palestine and Iraq and all have refugee or asylum seeker status. One of the six is from Pakistan and married to a Cypriot.
The Police Headquarters are also looking for other suspects in connection with the trafficking ring. The network allegedly has partners in Syria, Turkey and the occupied areas.
The men were arrested for several offences, including conspiracy to commit a crime, smuggling migrants, assisting illegal entry into the territory of the Republic, blackmail, extortion, intimidation and threat of force.
The arrests were made following information from a retired Iraqi general from Saddam Hussein’s regime.
The man, who is now believed to be in protective custody, fled Iraq under threat of execution after the US invasion and the collapse of Saddam Hussein’s regime. It is alleged that two of his sons were murdered and his daughter was killed by a car bomb.
He escaped to Syria with his wife and three remaining children. He reportedly struggled in mainly Sunni Muslim Syria because of religious differences and was eventually approached by a Palestinian who offered to get him to Cyprus.
He arrived in Cyprus last December through Turkey and the occupied areas. However he stepped on a mine in the buffer zone and suffered serious injuries. According to the man, the smuggler accompanying him refused to help him but instead took his wallet and documents.
It was also alleged that, while in hospital, he was visited by the members of the trafficking ring who repeatedly threatened to kill him and his family if he spoke to the police. However, to protect himself and his family from further threat he contacted the police and assisted in securing Wednesday’s arrests.
The Police Headquarters and Immigration Officials confirmed only that six asylum applicants had been arrested for assisting illegal immigration and for various offences including threats and intimidation.
