Woman arrested in Lefkosa over suspicious movement found to be illegal

An individual who was stopped by a police team in Lefkosa due to suspicious movement was found to have been living in north Cyprus without a resident permit and was detained.

The individual, OI, a Russian national was arrested by a team of police patrolling in Lefkosa on Wednesday January 8 for not having a resident permit.

She was brought to court on Thursday for the offense of "residing without a permit".

Police officer who presented the facts in court stated that on January 8, 2025, police teams patrolling in Lefkosia found the suspect suspicious and conducted an identity check. During the check, it was determined that the suspect had been residing in the TRNC without a permit for a total of 1,031 days since March 14, 2022.

The police stated that an investigation was initiated regarding the suspect and that information would be obtained from the Immigration Department under the Ministry of Interior, requesting an additional day for further inquiry.

The judge ordered that the suspect remain in custody for one more day.