Police say they have busted a syndicate that lured vulnerable women and girls from Indonesian slums to work in Sydney brothels.
A 43-year-old man allegedly involved in the trafficking of a 17-year-old girl has been charged, while another woman remains under arrest for luring women from the Southeast Asian country.
Around 20 brothels in Sydney and the Central Coast are believed to be linked to the syndicate’s exploitation, which police say involves multiple victims.
Australian Federal Police Commander Kate Ferry said at least nine women had been brought to Australia on tourist visas to work in brothels in appalling conditions.
Seven people have since been removed from sexual exploitation networks across New South Wales, while other overseas women have been identified as potential victims of human trafficking.
Police will also allege there were six other women in Jakarta who were being groomed to be trafficked to Australia for sexual exploitation.
“There is a huge power disparity between the victims of this crime and the perpetrators,” Ferry said.
‘They come from vulnerable situations in their country of origin.
A Sydney man has been arrested and charged with one count of child trafficking.
The 43-year-old man allegedly involved in trafficking an Indonesian girl is believed to be the ringleader of a syndicate that lured girls to work in brothels.
‘Sometimes they don’t have faith in the police or they are afraid.
“They are afraid and many of them don’t speak English either.”
The investigation began in December 2022 when the Australian Federal Police received information alleging that foreign nationals were arriving in Australia and being forced into sexual servitude in breach of their visa conditions.
Ms Ferry said she was confident authorities had dismantled the “well-established” criminal syndicate.
The 43-year-old man, from Arncliffe in Sydney’s south, is alleged to have been working as a ground facilitator for the newly arrived women after working with a woman in Jakarta who was allegedly recruiting victims.
He was charged with one count of child trafficking, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
The man was due to appear in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court later on Tuesday.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Service for Support and Reparation in Cases of Sexual Abuse 1800 211 028
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