Five detained after ABF operation

AUSTRALIAN Border Force officers have detained five foreign nationals in Perth as part of an operation targeting foreign worker exploitation.

ABF officers have detained three Chinese and two Malaysian nationals after conducting search warrants in Piara Waters as part of an ongoing national operation targeting unscrupulous labour hire intermediaries.

Two of the men, a 34-year-old from China, who was in Australia unlawfully, and a 28-year-old Malaysian, who was here on a visa with no work conditions, are suspected of higher level involvement in worker exploitation.

Investigations show that between them they have moved close to $900,000 offshore, believed to be from the proceeds of foreign worker exploitation.

The others detained were a 28-year-old Malaysian and a 22-year-old Chinese national, both of whom were also here unlawfully.

A 21-year-old Chinese national on a student visa who had stopped studying seven months ago has also been detained.

All five men were taken to the Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre pending their removal from Australia.

Yesterday’s search warrants on two residential premises were part of Operation Battenrun, a national operation targeting labour hire intermediaries and entities of interest exploiting vulnerable onshore foreign workers, including unlawful non-citizens.

ABF Commander of Field Operations James Copeman said it was a priority to target those facilitating illegal foreign work and organised migration fraud.

“Importantly, the individuals we are targeting in this Operation are not those that are being exploited but those non-citizens that are facilitating illegal work,” he said.

“The ABF remains committed to identifying and taking action against those involved in these practices.

“We regularly conduct proactive operations like this, as well as compliance activities, to protect the integrity of Australia’s migration system.”

Anyone who is aware of an individual, business or employer who might be facilitating visa fraud or illegal work is urged to contact Border Watch at australia.gov.au/borderwatch.