Asylum seeking busboy detained in Paphos

Paphos immigration police got busy on Election Day Sunday when they detained a busboy and his employer over suspected unauthorized work.

Local media said a 26-year-old foreign national was taken down to a local police station on Sunday after immigration officers who raided the establishment said he was working illegally as a busboy.

According to local media, immigration officers went to a restaurant where they spotted a busboy cleaning tables in the outdoor area of the establishment.

The worker, described as an asylum seeker, was taken to the police station along with his employer, a 41-year-old female, both of whom were charged and released according to media reports.

Paphos police have been carrying out immigration raids recently in an effort to crack down on undeclared work, keeping up the pressure on both employees and employers who may engage in unauthorized work.

It was not clear whether labor officials were involved in the operation. 

Asylum seekers in the Republic of Cyprus have access to specific jobs in the labor market, including kitchen aides and cleaners, one month after submitting an application for international protection.

More than 2000 officers as well as helicopters and drones got busy on Sunday, when Cypriots went to the polls in the first round of a presidential election.

The runoff election is scheduled to take place this coming Sunday.