Four new African students in North Cyprus caught trying to enter south Cyprus illegally in the boot of a van

Four students trying to cross into south Cyprus illegally in a van owned by a Turkish Cypriot man has been arrested and sent to prison in north Cyprus.

Photo source: Kibris

The driver of the van, a Turkish Cypriot man identified as Coşkun Alaslan was caught red handed at about 4:40am on Wednesday, February, 4 in a military zone in Haspolat while trying to illegally pass four foreigners of African origin into south Cyprus in the boot of his van.

The four foreigners reportedly came into north Cyprus in February with the intention to study. Their nationality was not revealed at the time of their arrest.

They were all arrested and brought to a court in Lefkosa on Thursday on charges of establishing secret alliance to commit a grave crime.

The van driver, it was revealed have been involved in several crimes in the past including human trafficking. 

The four foreigners reportedly paid the van owner 60 euros up front each and agreed to pay him €200 later to help get them to south Cyprus.

They reportedly told police that once in the south, they were planning to file for asylum. One of them, reportedly a Nigerian, said he spoke on the phone with someone with a south Cyprus phon number before arriving the country.

The van owner was released on bail on court order while the four foreigners were sent to prison for a period of 25 days until trial.