14 Illegals Detained in Northern New South Wales
Media Release - DPS 30/2003
Fourteen people are in immigration detention following compliance activity in Northern New South Wales, the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) confirmed today.
All were unlawful non-citizens, except one Malaysian man who was working in breach of his visa conditions. His visa was subsequently cancelled.
The group was located during a week-long operation in the region. Four unlawful non-citizens were located in Port Macquarie where the Australian Federal Police assisted immigration officers. The one man breaching visa conditions was also located in Port Macquarie. One unlawful non-citizen was located in Iluka, two in Woolgoolga, four in Taree, one in Bulahdelah and one in The Entrance.
The fourteen detained included two men and two women from Malaysia, two men and one woman from the Philippines, one man from the United States of America, two men and one woman from the People's Republic of China, one man from the UK and two Indian men. All will be held at the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre in Sydney until their departure from Australia as required by law.
The specialised operation followed community information and surveillance suggesting a number of people could be working illegally in the region.
From 1 July 2002 to 31 January 2003, the Department has found 1,103 people working illegally in New South Wales.
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 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.
2 May 2003
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