Nearly 8,000 illegal migrants deported

Some 16 third-country nationals who resided illegally in Cyprus were identified and arrested during a recent coordinated police operation.

As part of efforts to return third-country nationals to their countries of origin, another 20 people departed from the island last Friday.

Since the beginning of 2023, a total of 7,933 people have been forcibly removed or voluntarily departed Cyprus, police said.

According to police, weekend operations were conducted in all districts to locate and arrest persons residing illegally in the Republic and to carry out checks to combat illegal and undeclared employment.

During the police operations in the Famagusta district, two people, aged 28 and 23, were found to be working illegally in a restaurant and a nightclub. They were on the island illegally and were arrested.

In Limassol, three people were arrested during 15 checks carried out, whereas in Larnaca, six people were found to be illegal in Cyprus and another five in Nicosia.

Two of them were identified during traffic stops.

The checks are still ongoing, police said

In Paphos, during a repatriation operation last week, the authorities deported 20 people illegally staying on the island.