Two arrested at Ercan airport for entering TRNC with fake residency permits

Lefkoşa, Cyprus (August 2, 2025) — Two individuals, were arrested at Ercan Airport after allegedly attempting to enter the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) using forged residency documents. 

The suspects identified by the initials K.F., 56 and N.S., 25, both Pakistani nationals were charged with “forgery of an official document” and “circulation of a forged document”, and were remanded in police custody for three days pending further investigation.

According to testimony provided in court by police officer Ebrar Kiriş, the suspects arrived on a flight from Istanbul to Ercan at approximately 3:30 PM on August 2, 2025. Upon arrival, they presented fake residency permits — allegedly created in their own names — to immigration officers in an attempt to enter the country.

The documents were immediately flagged as suspicious and both individuals were detained on the spot.

Kiriş told the court that the forged documents would be sent to forensic document specialists for examination. He also noted that additional statements need to be collected and that other individuals named during preliminary questioning are currently wanted by authorities in connection with the case.

Given the scope of the ongoing investigation, police requested an initial three-day detention for both suspects. Presiding Judge Özge Uğraşın approved the request and ordered that K.F. and N.S. remain in custody as police continue to trace the source of the falsified documents and pursue other individuals potentially involved.

The case highlights growing concerns about document fraud and border security in the TRNC, with authorities urging vigilance against organized attempts to circumvent immigration laws.