Bogor (ANTARA News) - The Australian government said the Indonesian authorities had successfully foiled 92 attempts of foreigners seeking asylum in Australia through the waters of that country since September 2008.

At least 40 people suspected of involvement in organizing human smuggling had been arrested, the Australian Immigration and Citizenship Ministry said Monday.

Australian Immigration and Citizenship Minister, Senator Chris Evans said his administration is coordinating with several neighboring countries under bilateral cooperation and the Bali Process forum on human smuggling, human trade and other relevant transnational crimes.

In supporting the eradication of human smuggling, Australia has also provided more than 654 million Australian dollars and raised the number of its federal police personnel, the foreign and trade ministry, DIAC, and the customs and border protection agency, he said.

Since September 2008, Australia had been constantly approached by asylum seeking boat people from countries where conflicts and wars were raging, like Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.

In the last 17 days of January 2010 alone, at least four boats of foreign asylum seekers had entered Australian waters. The fourth boat was caught by an Australian patrol boat 4.8 miles north of Christmas Island in West Australia on January 10 this year.

The boat carried 14 suspected asylum seekers but where the boat came from, and the citizenship status of the passengers were still unknown.

The passengers and crew had been taken to the Immigration Detention Center on Christmas Island for interrogation and health examination. (*)

Editor: Bambang
COPYRIGHT © 2012

Comment
Send Comment