Six Unlawful Non-Citizens Detained in Northern Territory
Media Release - DPS 94/2002
Six unlawful non-citizens who were working illegally were detained this week in a successful joint operation just north of Alice Springs the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) said today.
The operation conducted by DIMIA, in liaison with the Northern Territory Police and Centrelink, apprehended the unlawful non-citizens who had been employed on a large grape farm in the township of Ti Tree - just north of Alice Springs.
All six unlawful non-citizens were male, aged between 25 and 43 years of age, and from Vietnam.
The group has been transferred to the Darwin Correctional Centre and will remain in detention while arrangements are made for their departure from Australia - as required by law.
The joint operation was undertaken after community information was received concerning illegal workers employed on a farm just north of Alice Springs. DIMIA takes all complaints seriously and fully investigates all allegations.
DIMIA officers will be issuing warning notices to the labour hire contractor who provided the grape farm with the unlawful employees.
In the 2001-02 financial year, the Department located 17,307 overstayers and people breaching visa conditions nationally. The number of locations has increased significantly since 2000-01, when 14,238 overstayers and people breaching visa conditions were detained.
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.
5 December 2002
Media inquiries: Public Affairs (02) 6264 2244