Cyprus busts refugee trafficking ring as more arrive from Mideast

Police in Cyprus on Monday arrested ten individuals suspected of running a crime gang trafficking migrants, as the island saw a fresh spike in arrivals over the weekend.
Cyprus, which lies at the crossroads of three continents, has seen irregular migration rise since 2017. Cypriot officials have in recent days repeatedly expressed concern that the rapidly deteriorating security situation in the Middle East could lead to a surge in people fleeing the area.
Some 264 Syrians arrived over the weekend after setting off from the Lebanese coast, an interior ministry spokesperson said.
Police said the trafficking suspects were arrested at various locations in the western Paphos district on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a crime, being members of a criminal organisation, trafficking and money laundering.