The UK government must act more quickly to catch fugitives who flee to North Cyprus and so end its reputation as a haven for criminals, some of its politicians have said.
British peer Lord Maginnis said that the government was “inflicting” the label on North Cyprus, while Lib Dem MP John Hemming said criminals using North Cyprus as a bolthole should be “brought to book more quickly”.
“The government’s policy on Cyprus is not worth the paper it’s written on,” Lord Maginnis said.
Their comments came after UK police were delayed before being able to arrest fugitive drug baron John Anslow who had taken refuge in the TRNC.
Police officers had flown to North Cyprus but were unable to arrest Anslow until he was returned to the UK by the Turkish Cypriot authorities.
As the UK has no extradition treaty with North Cyprus, there are no arrangements in place for police investigate criminal suspects there and so investigations are being hampered.
Lord Maginnis said, “We’re inflicting this safe haven reputation [for fugitives] on them.”
BBC News
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