Indonesian people smugglers sentenced in Australia

Last Updated: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 17:29:00 +1000

The Australian Government says it will push for organisers of people smuggling to be jailed for 20 years.

On Wednesday a court in Western Australia sentenced eight men to the minimum sentence available for people smuggling - five years jail.

They will be eligible for parole in three years.

The men were among 11 Indonesian people smugglers who were part of the crew of four boats.

Appropriate

The boats carried more than 150 asylum seekers between December 2008 and March this year.

Australia's Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, says the penalty was appropriate because the men were not the masterminds behind the operations.

He said: "The key issue is for us is trying to bring to justice the organsisers.

"The maximum penalty is 20 years imprisonment and we'd expect organisers, if prosecuted, to be at the much higher end of the punishment."

Meanwhile, police in other Australian cities moved ahead with charges against other suspected people smugglers.

In Sydney, police arrested Pathmendra Pulendren, 35, charging him with organising a scheme to bring non-citizens into Australia.

Police allege Mr Pulendron was involved in an operation recently intercepted by Customs near Christmas Island. Bail was set at $AUD10,000 and he was ordered to return to court in August.

In the northern city of Darwin, a British man appeared in court to face three people-smuggling charges.

Australian Federal Police accuse Robert Derek Davies of allowing a Sri Lankan man to use his boarding pass to attempt to enter Australia by air on Monday.

Police also allege Mr Davies, 63, helped two Sri Lankans enter Australia using the boarding passes of other passengers. Police say Davies was arrested on Tuesday when he arrived in Australia on a flight from Singapore.