The court heard that in July 2024, investigators from the Australian Federal Police identified the man’s involvement in a scheme in which he was paid to collect unlawful non-citizens arriving by boat in the Northern Territory.
“Sri Lankan-based people smugglers continue to try to exploit vulnerable members of the community in a bid to encourage highly dangerous and illegal maritime ventures to Australia.”
The 35-year-old Indian citizen arrived in New Zealand on a visitor visa in April 2023 and applied for refugee and protected-person status three months later.
The post, shared on July 12 from right-wing podcast platform 2 Worlds Collide, included the phrase “ABC: Albo Importing Indians for Votes” and was linked to commentary about Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s engagement with Indian-Australian communities during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Melbourne.
