Newsroom
A judge in Paphos ordered a male traveler of undisclosed origins to be remanded in custody for five days, after airport police said they spotted inconsistencies in his documents as he was trying to catch a flight to Mykonos.
According to Cyprus News Agency, a 27-year-old man presented his travel documents at Paphos International Airport, arousing suspicion among immigration officers who said the photo on his travel document was not the same as the photo in his Italian Residence Permit.
Immigration officers said the photo on his travel document was not the same as the photo in his Italian Residence Permit
CNA also said the inspecting officer had become suspicious initially after the traveler, whose name was reported as Drame Mahamadou, had said during document inspection that he travelled from Milan to Istanbul in July and then flew to Larnaca.
Officers alerted the man of no Republic of Cyprus entry stamps in his documents or any direct flights between Istanbul and Larnaca.
Police arrested Mahamadou on fraud and illegal entry charges, while a message from Interpol said there had been no reports of stolen documents under Mahamadou’s name.
The lead investigator in the case told CNA further tests would need to be made to examine the authenticity of the documents as well as the information presented, adding that losing these documents would amount to destroying evidence. He also said the time and location of the suspect’s entry to Cyprus remained unclear, adding that he did not cooperate with police investigators even with the help of an interpreter.
Defence attorney Elena Taliotou did not object to her client’s remand for five days.
