An Arncliffe man has been sentenced to six years and five months’ imprisonment for trafficking a 17-year-old Indonesian girl to Australia for exploitation, becoming the first person in Australia to be convicted of trafficking a child.
AFP Commander Brett James said the outcome demonstrated the agency’s commitment to targeting criminal networks that profit from exploiting vulnerable people.
“Human trafficking syndicates are sophisticated criminal enterprises that prey on vulnerable people for financial gain. They deliberately exploit language barriers, migration pathways and economic vulnerability to facilitate and conceal their offending,” Commander James said.
He said the investigation highlighted the importance of international cooperation in tackling cross-border organised crime.
“This investigation helped protect vulnerable people from exploitation and ensured those responsible were brought before the courts.”
The 45-year-old man was sentenced in an Australian court after pleading guilty to trafficking in children and causing a person under 18 to remain in forced labour.
The court found he operated an organised crime syndicate that profited from human trafficking between Australia and Indonesia, facilitating the victim’s arrival in Sydney in 2024 and controlling her movements, work hours and financial allowances while she was forced into sex work.
He will serve a non-parole period of four years and five months.
A second Sydney man, aged 32, was also sentenced to two years and eight months’ imprisonment for his role in transporting the victim between locations across New South Wales while knowing she was being exploited.
The convictions follow a two-year Australian Federal Police (AFP)-led investigation, known as Operation Mirani, which began in December 2022 after intelligence indicated foreign nationals were arriving in Australia and being subjected to sexual servitude and forced labour.
Working with the Australian Border Force, the Department of Home Affairs and the Indonesian National Police, AFP investigators uncovered the activities of the trafficking network operating across Australia and Indonesia.
In March 2024, AFP investigators executed coordinated search warrants in Australia and Indonesia. During the operation, officers located and rescued the child victim from the Arncliffe man’s residence.
The court found the man had knowingly submitted false visa documents to facilitate the teenager’s travel from Indonesia to Australia for the purpose of exploitation.
Authorities also identified an Indonesian woman allegedly involved in recruiting victims for the syndicate. During a concurrent search in Indonesia, investigators found multiple passports belonging to women who were due to travel to Australia and were considered at risk of exploitation.
The woman was arrested by Indonesian authorities and charged with human trafficking offences in Jakarta.
As part of Operation Mirani, investigators conducted 22 human trafficking assessments, resulting in seven victims being removed from situations involving exploitation across Australia and Indonesia.
Acting Australian Border Force Commander Tim Thorley said the investigation began after information was received through the Border Watch program from a member of the community.
“Human trafficking is a crime that exploits vulnerable people for profit. This outcome sends a clear message that those involved in this type of offending will be held accountable, while victims are supported and protected.”
The AFP continues to work with domestic and international partners to identify and prosecute individuals involved in human trafficking, slavery and slavery-like practices.
Authorities urged anyone experiencing or witnessing suspected exploitation, forced labour or human trafficking to seek assistance through the AFP or support services.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
