(LAWFUEL) – Three Indonesian men who allegedly facilitated a people smuggling venture to Australia last December will face Perth Magistrates Court today.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) will allege in court this morning that the men crewed a vessel as part of an attempt to smuggle up to 44
passengers into Australia on 6 December 2008. The captain of the vessel, a 40-year-old man and his two crew members, both aged 19 years-old, were allegedly intercepted by the Royal Australian Navy patrol boat HMAS Maryborough, operating under the control of Border Protection Command, within close proximity to Ashmore Island, Western Australia.
Each man was charged by the AFP yesterday with one count of facilitating the bringing of non-citizens into Australia (of five or more people), contrary to Section 232A of the Migration Act 1958.
The maximum penalty for this offence is 20 years imprisonment.
