(LAWFUEL) – Australian Federal Police have today charged a 35-year-old Indonesian man with people smuggling offences under the Migration Act.
The man is the captain of a vessel intercepted by Australia’s Border Protection Command on 29 September near Ashmore Islands.
It will be alleged in court that he captained a vessel as part of an attempted people smuggling venture that originated in Indonesia.
There were 14 people on board the vessel when it was intercepted, comprising a crew of two and 12 passengers.
The man was charged with organising bringing a group of non-citizens into Australia (5 or more people) contrary to Section 232A of The Migration Act 1958.
He is expected to be extradited to Perth to face Perth Magistrates Court on Monday, 13 October.
No other crew members were charged.
The maximum penalty for this offence is 20 years imprisonment.
