Operation Sovereign Borders—Joint Agency Task Force update

14-03-2014 -

This statement provides an update on Operation Sovereign Borders (OSB) activities related to the off-water reception and processing of illegal maritime arrivals.

The reporting period is from 9.00am Friday 7 March 2014 to 9.00am Friday 14 March 2014.

During this reporting period there were no illegal maritime arrivals transferred to Australian Immigration authorities.

Twenty illegal maritime arrivals were transferred to the offshore processing centre in Nauru.

Eight illegal maritime arrival transferees were voluntarily returned to their country of origin after electing to go home from an offshore processing centre— five to Lebanon, two to Iran and one to Sudan.

Two illegal maritime arrival detainees were voluntarily removed—one to Iran and one to Pakistan.

As at 9.00am Friday 14 March 2014, there was a total of 1314 people on Manus Island, 1136 people in Nauru and 1707 people in the Christmas Island facilities.

On 11 March 2014, the trial of Mr Ewaz Ali Rezaie commenced in the Melbourne County Court. Mr Rezaie is charged with four counts of the offence of people smuggling contrary to section 233A of the Migration Act 1958, and two counts of the aggravated offence of people smuggling contrary to section 233C of the Migration Act 1958. These charges relate to a total of 19 passengers on three suspected illegal entry vessels. The trial is expected to last four weeks.

On 12 March 2014, Mr Lamis Alli Baighi, was sentenced in the County Court of Victoria to the mandatory five years imprisonment with a non-parole period of three years. The sentence relates to one count of people smuggling (aggravated), contrary to section 232A Migration Act 1958. Mr Alli Baighi was arrested in October 2011 in relation to his alleged involvement in more than 30 suspected illegal entry vessels to Australia since 2008.

On 13 March 2014, Mr Said Mir Bahrami appeared before the Sydney District Court in relation to four counts of the offence of people smuggling contrary to section 233A of the Migration Act 1958, and two counts of the aggravated offence of people smuggling contrary to section 233C of the Migration Act 1958. The jury returned guilty verdicts for five out of the six charges and the Judge has reserved judgement on conviction until further submissions. These charges relate to the organisation and facilitation of a people smuggling venture to Australia in 2011.