The Police dismantled a spiral of virtual marriages

Yesterday, the Police proceeded with the arrest of one more person, in order to facilitate the investigations related to an investigated case concerning the offenses of assisting illegal entry, transit and stay in the Republic of Cyprus, as well as performing sham marriages. This is a 38-year-old resident of Nicosia, who was arrested yesterday pursuant to a judicial arrest warrant. Five other people were arrested for the same case, including a 29-year-old woman who was sentenced to 3,5 years in prison.

The investigation into the case began on September 17, 2021, when members of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Office and the Aliens and Immigration Service, after evaluating information about cases of sham marriages, conducted a coordinated operation in Nicosia. During the operation, a 35-year-old man and two women aged 20 and 19 were located and arrested. From the examinations that followed, it appears that the 35-year-old had given money to the two women, with the aim of performing sham marriages, for the stay of other persons in the territory of the Republic of Cyprus.

Since the continuation of the examinations, testimony has emerged for two more men aged 32 and 38 and a 29-year-old woman. The 32-year-old and the 29-year-old were arrested on warrants in January and April 2022, respectively.

The 38-year-old was spotted yesterday and arrested on an outstanding warrant against him and taken into custody to facilitate inquiries. Yesterday, he was brought before the Nicosia District Court, which issued a six-day detention order against him.

For the above offences, a case has already been registered against the 35-year-old and the 32-year-old in the Court, while the three women have already been tried and sentenced by the Nicosia Criminal Court. Against the 20-year-old and the 19-year-old, the Criminal Court imposed a suspended prison sentence, while the 29-year-old was sentenced to three and a half years in prison.

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