Immigration Detains Eighteen in Newcastle/Hunter Area Operation
Media Release - DPS 56/2003
Eighteen people are in immigration detention following an operation in the Newcastle/Hunter area of New South Wales, the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) confirmed today.
The operation was conducted over five days from Monday 11 August - Friday 15 August.
As a result of the operation 18 unlawful non-citizens were detained, comprising one Indonesian male, two Malaysian males, one Malaysian female, one male from Thailand, two females from Thailand, three Korean males, two Korean females, four Vietnamese males, one Vietnamese female, and one male from Fiji.
Of the group, one was located in Toukley, three in Woy Woy, one in Ettalong, two in Gosford, five in Lake Munmora, four in Coorangbong, one in Hamilton and one in Newcastle. The eighteen were detained after visits to nineteen residences and fifteen businesses.
The group has been transferred to Sydney's Villawood Immigration Detention Centre, where they will be held until they are removed from Australia, as required by law.
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 the 2002-03 financial year to 31 May the Department located 19,070 people who had either overstayed or breached their visa conditions - an increase of 10 per cent over the 2001-02 financial year when the Department located 17,307 overstayers and people breaching visa conditions around Australia.
15 August 2003
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