Major Compliance Operations in Sydney
Media Release - DPS 16/2002
The Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) has located 86 people working illegally in Sydney.
Over the last two weeks, DIMIA staff have visited a number of premises including factories, private residences and building sites.
All 86 people have been detained while the Department makes arrangements for their departure from Australia, as required by law.
DIMIA officers conducted field inquiries in the Sydney area in relation to people in Australia illegally as a result of information received from the community and other Government agencies.
In an operation held on March 12 and 13, DIMIA staff worked with NSW Police and located 26 people in the Cabramatta area - 23 people who were unlawful non-citizens and three who were working in breach of visa conditions.
This group included 20 men and three women from the People's Republic of China, a woman from Indonesia, a man from Cambodia and a man from Vietnam.
In an operation that ran from March 5 to 7, DIMIA staff located 36 people - three people who were working in breach of visa conditions and 33 who were unlawful non-citizens - at six furniture factories located in Padstow, Kingsgrove, Bankstown and Revesby.
The group included 10 men and four women from the Philippines, 14 men and two women from the People's Republic of China, two men from Lebanon, one man from Malaysia, one man from Burma, one man from Taiwan and one man from Vietnam.
A further 11 unlawful non-citizens were detained after they were located at residential premises in Campbelltown, Parramatta and Rooty Hill or were referred to DIMIA by other government agencies.
This group included two British men, one Irish man, a man and a woman from the People's Republic of China, two men from the Philippines, one Russian man, and a man and a woman from Korea.
In an operation held on March 7, staff from DIMIA located 13 people who were unlawful non-citizens at residential premises in Campsie and the CBD.
This group included four men and three women from the People's Republic of China, five men from Korea and one man from Bangladesh.
DIMIA officers make regular visits to workplaces in many parts of Australia, such as restaurants, farms, shops, offices, factories and brothels, in an effort to detect and locate people who are in the country illegally or who are working illegally. DIMIA may also issue warning notices to employers or labour suppliers who are found to have employed illegal workers.
In 2000-2001, 14,238 people were located by DIMIA. This includes people lawfully in Australia who were found working in breach of their visa conditions as well as people who were unlawfully in the country.
15 March 2002
For more information contact DIMIA Public Affairs,
02 6264 2244
(AH) 0419 442 000