38 Syrian illegal migrants found cramped in a van in north Cyprus

A total of 38 Syrian refugees who were found cramped in a van were detected and arrested by Turkish Cyprus police on Yılmazköy-Alayköy road on Thursday.

Police in a statement on Friday said the 38 refugees were detected in a van on Yılmazköy-Alayköy road at around 7:30pm on Thursday during a search carried out by the police

Two people named only as M.Ö. and SR who were believed to be human smugglers were arrested along with he refugees and taken to court on Friday.

Police office who testified in court said the irregular immigrants entered the TRNC from the beach in the northern part of Roots Bar in Küçükerenköy, B.C. with an undetectable Zodiac type boat, with the help of M.Ö and SR.

Police stated that 35 of the refugees were detected in the vehicle driven by MÖ.

Police stated that the other 3 refugees who escaped from the van were detected in Lefkosia a few hours later. 

The police stated that the investigation into a total of 38 refugees had been completed, pointing out that they did not have legal status in the country, and requested that they be sent to prison.

Three of the refugees who spoke after the police said that everyone was squeezed into the van and that they could not breathe, so they ran away.

Evaluating the testimony in court, the judge ordered that 11 refugees, women and children, stay in Yıldız Student Dormitory for 15 days, and the other 24 refugees be sent to prison for 15 days.