Latest news with #AustralianBorderForce
RNZ News
21 hours ago
- RNZ News
Pacific news in brief for 20 June 2025
An NGO carrying out testing on drugs at an event - including this this bag of cocaine, in Colombia, in 2021. Photo: AFP/ Juan Pablo Pino The French Directorate General of Customs says 67 kilograms of cocaine has been seized in New Caledonia between April and May this year. Local media reported the operation resulted in the discovery of more than 500 kilograms of narcotics at various ports across the region. New Caledonia and French Polynesia Customs took part in a joint operation with the Australian Border Force, New Zealand Customs, the US Homeland Security Investigations and Jamaica. At the end of March this year, 142 kilograms of cocaine was seized in French Polynesia. It was found packed in insulation panels of a refrigerated container bound for Australia. Fiji police have reported 105 cases of family violence against women and children for May 2025. More than 200 women had crimes committed against them - 11 percent of these were sexual offences and 89 percent were assault-related. Seventy-two of those crimes were from a spouse or partner. One hundred and 14 children had crimes done against them and more than two-thirds of those were sexual offences. Five police officers were charged with offences during the month - including one facing charges of unlawful supply and import of illicit drugs. Police said there was a 14 per cent reduction in overall crime which is ahead of its 10 per cent target. The Fijian Elections Office says FJ$44,000 - about US$20,000 - in temporary worker payments from the 2018 General Election remain unpaid. FBC reported this has come to light during the Public Accounts Committee submission on the election office's 2021-2022 Audit Report. The election office's financial controller said the delay was caused by incomplete employee information for some of the 12,000 temporary election workers. The office said they are closely coordinating with the Fiji National Provident Fund to verify the remaining employee data to fast-track this process. The mining company New Porgera is celebrating achieving its production targets, despite the impact of continuing lawlessness and a devastating landslide in the region. The new company, run by Barrick Gold, but with a significant PNG Government shareholding, replaced the former company after a lease dispute shut it down for more than three years. The Porgera region of Enga Province experienced the devastating Mulitaka landslide, which claimed many lives and shut the main road link out of the district. There have also been extensive law and order issues that resulted in a state of emergency being implemented, and dozens of arrests being made, many for illegal mining within the mine pit. The Papua New Guinea Correctional Service has signed an agreement with the Department of Education which will see education and training programmes rolled out in jails across the country. NBC reported that the memorandum highlights the vital role education plays in restoring dignity, instilling hope, and creating opportunities for those seeking a second chance. The rollout of structured learning and skills training within prisons is expected to transform lives behind bars. Acting corrections commissioner Bernard Nepo called the initiative a lifeline for inmates.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
The disturbing find customs allegedly made in Aussie tourist's luggage as he returned from the Philippines sparks sickening accusation
An Australian man has been charged after authorities allegedly found child abuse material on his phone when he returned to the country from overseas. The 63-year-old Queensland man's phone was seized by Australian Border Force (ABF) officers on December 25, 2024, after he landed on an international flight at Cairns Airport, in the state's north. Officers also allegedly discovered child abuse material on the man's laptop and two hard drives and referred the matter to the Australian Federal Police (AFP). AFP executed a search warrant at the man's Cairns homes the following day and seized several more devices. On Wednesday, the AFP confirmed its Northern Command Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team had on May 6 charged the man with one count of possessing, controlling, producing, distributing or obtaining child abuse material outside Australia. It's alleged the 63-year-old produced the abuse material in the Philippines. The offence carries a maximum of 15 years behind bars if convicted. He fronted Cairns Magistrates Court on Wednesday for a brief hearing. The prosecution requested the matter be adjourned as it was still waiting to receive a full brief of evidence. The case will return to court next month. AFP Detective Superintendent Adrian Telfer said law enforcement would continue to crack down on child abuse material made in Australia and overseas. 'Online child abuse material is a borderless crime, which is why this criminality remains a strong focus for the AFP and our state and Commonwealth and international law enforcement partners,' he said. 'Creating this material is a serious offence. Investigators are relentless and will pursue anyone producing, sharing or accessing child abuse material – regardless of where it is from.'
1News
11-06-2025
- 1News
QLD men jailed over cocaine concealed in sneakers, food
Two Queensland men have been sentenced over a plot to import more than 100g of cocaine in a package of sneakers and food. An investigation began on June 6 last year, when Australian Border Force (ABF) officers examined an air cargo consignment that had arrived in Australia from Peru. Inside the shoebox they found 131g of a white powder hidden inside a pair of sneakers, with food items also filling the box. Forensic tests found the substance to be pure cocaine. The ABF reported it to the AFP, where officers seized the cocaine and replaced it with a substitute. ADVERTISEMENT Forensic tests found the substance was 103.2g of pure cocaine. (Source: AFP) The AFP then facilitated a controlled delivery of the item to a parcel collection point in Darwin on June 12. The following day two men, aged 35 and 36, were arrested when they attempted to collect the consignment. In May, the 35-year-old man pleaded guilty to attempting to possess a marketable quantity of an unlawfully imported border-controlled drug. His accomplice, 36, pleaded guilty on the same date to one count of aiding and abetting an attempt to possess a marketable quantity of a border-controlled drug. Both were sentenced in the Darwin Supreme Court yesterday, receiving three years' imprisonment and 18 months' imprisonment respectively. AFP superintendent Greg Davis said the AFP worked closely with ABF and other partners to stop criminals from smuggling illicit drugs into Australia. ADVERTISEMENT "While it might seem like a relatively small amount of cocaine, it has an estimated street value of more than AU$65,900 (NZ$70,980) and equated to hundreds of individual street deals of 0.2 grams," he said. "In 2022-23 there were 985 cocaine-related hospitalisations nationally, more than two each day on average." He said this put health systems under "immense pressure". 'The AFP, ABF and our partners are committed to stopping illicit drugs from entering Australia and inflicting harm in our communities."
News.com.au
11-06-2025
- News.com.au
Sneaker smuggling plot comes undone after cocaine found in hidden package
Two Queenslanders have been jailed for their roles in a plot to smuggle cocaine concealed in sneakers into the Northern Territory. The two men planned to import more than 100g of the drug using a shoebox filled with sneakers and food, the police claim. Pictures released by the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Border Force show a white powder substance stuffed beneath the soles of a pair of sneakers. The package was initially intercepted in June 2024 when ABF officers found the 131 grams concealed bag of cocaine in an air cargo shipment from Peru. The AFP conducted a 'controlled delivery' of the cocaine at a parcel collection point in Darwin on 12 June 2024, where they arrested the two men who unwittingly attempted to collect the parcel – which had been substituted with another white powder. One of the men, 35, was sentenced to three years in prison, and must serve 15 months before being released on a 21-month suspended sentence. The other man, 36, was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment, and having already served six months will be released on a 12-month suspended sentence. Both men pleaded guilty to their charges in May last year. AFP Superintendent Greg Davis said the federal police had worked closely with the border force to stop criminals smuggling drugs across the border. 'While it might seem like a relatively small amount of cocaine, it has an estimated street value of more than $65,900 and equated to hundreds of individual street deals of 0.2 grams,' Supt Davis said. 'The AFP, ABF and our partners are committed to stopping illicit drugs from entering Australia and inflicting harm in our communities.' ABF Commander Tracie Griffin said that the jailing of the two men showed law enforcement agencies' determination to stop drug smuggling and to disrupt criminal syndicates. 'If you try to profit from the harm caused by illicit drugs, no matter how you attempt to hide them, the ABF and our partners will find you and bring you to justice,' Cmdr Griffin said.
West Australian
10-06-2025
- West Australian
Australian Border Force recruiting Broome locals after success of Singapore flights
The Australian Border Force is looking for Broome locals to carry out the customs and immigration clearances required for international passengers following success of the inaugural Singapore flights from Broome International Airport. ABF Assistant Commissioner Chris Waters said the force was looking to build up a local workforce to service the increase of international flights to Singapore. 'We are looking for people to wear the ABF uniform with pride and perform the frontline roles required for processing passengers from international flights at Broome International Airport,' he said. 'This is a really important role for our officers as we are often the first impression for international tourists arriving in Australia, and we pride ourselves in making that a positive experience.' Commissioner Waters said international flights twice a week from Singapore during the dry season, meant additional officers were now required on a casual, flexible basis. 'As well as working at the airport processing passengers, you will also have the opportunity to perform a wide range of operational roles, including the processing of cargo, aircraft, vessels, pleasure craft and marine crew arriving and departing Australia, to name just a few,' he said. 'We are really excited to offer these roles to Broome-based residents and believe it will offer tremendous opportunities and open up a world of experiences for the successful candidates.' Interested locals can read more about the role and apply by going to the APS Jobs website.
