Lebanese Duo Detained for Ferrying 146 Syrian Refugees to Cyprus

A Cypriot court has detained two individuals for six days on charges related to human trafficking, following their arrest as the operators of vessels that transported 146 Syrian refugees and one Lebanese migrant to Cyprus. The detainees, both Lebanese citizens aged 19 and 21, were apprehended after police intercepted two boats near Cape Greco, located at the southeastern edge of Cyprus, on a Saturday afternoon.

Investigations revealed that the refugees embarked on their journey from Tripoli, Lebanon, on Thursday, Feb. 22, paying $2,500 each for passage. The first boat carried 30 passengers, including 6 women and 11 minors, while the second was filled with 117 individuals, among them 8 women and 17 minors. Upon arrival, the migrants were brought to shore and then relocated to a reception facility near Nicosia, the Cypriot capital.

In the context of the ongoing migration challenges, Cyprus’s President Nikos Christodoulides has advocated within the European Union for the establishment of designated safe zones in Syria to facilitate the return of refugees and migrants. This initiative aims to lessen the burden on Mediterranean nations that are primary recipients of these displaced groups.

Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou disclosed that Cyprus has sought assistance from Europol to monitor the Lebanese coastline and prevent further migrant departures.

Despite a 37% decrease in overall migrant arrivals to Cyprus last year compared to the previous year, there has been a significant surge in the number of migrants arriving by boat from Syria and Lebanon, with a 355% increase recorded — from 937 in 2022 to 4,259 in 2023.