Seven Illegal Workers to Be Removed From Australia
Media Release - DPS 36/2003
Eight people have been found working illegally following visits to 13 clothing manufacturing companies in Sydney yesterday, the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) confirmed today.
The joint operation, executed by officers from DIMIA, Centrelink and the Australian Taxation Office, took place at clothing manufacturing companies in Marrickville, Western Sydney.
During the operation, Immigration officers located eight illegal workers, three from the Peoples' Republic of China, two from Thailand and one each from Romania, Vietnam and Indonesia. Four of the workers were women and four were men.
As a result, seven workers were detained and have been transferred to the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre in Sydney where they will remain until their removal from Australia, as required by law. The eighth worker was released on a Bridging Visa.
DIMIA officers, often with assistance from state police, make regular visits to workplaces in many parts of Australia, including 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 2001-02 financial year, the Department located 17,307 overstayers and people breaching visa conditions around Australia. The number of locations has increased significantly since 2000-01, when 14,238 overstayers and people breaching visa conditions were found.
29 May 2003
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