Man charged over child exploitation material

A NORANDA man has been charged after Border Force officials allegedly found him in possession of images depicting sexual abuse of children.

The 40-year-old Australian citizen arrived home on a flight from Singapore yesterday when officers arrested him at Perth Airport.

It will be alleged officers found 41 child exploitation material images and four videos classified as ‘objectionable material’ under Australian law during an initial examination of one of his two mobile phones.

The phone was seized while his laptop and the other phone were held for examination.

Australian Border Force investigators charged the man with one count of importing Tier 2 goods, being child exploitation material.

The maximum penalty for the importation of child exploitation material is 10 years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $525,000.

The man was granted conditional bail to appear in the Perth Magistrates Court on October 18.

ABF Regional Commander for WA Rod O’Donnell said tackling child exploitation was an operational priority for the ABF as part of its role in protecting the border from individuals, be they visitors or citizens, who may pose a threat to the community.

“Our officers are highly skilled at identifying people at our airports who are attempting to carry this abhorrent material across the border,” he said.

“ABF officers utilise a range of powers at the border in order to detect and seize goods and material deemed harmful to the Australian community.”