Australian Immigration Daily News

A 61-year-old Australian man who was travelling from Melbourne to the Philippines on Wednesday 25 July has been arrested and charged after he was found with child exploitation material on his mobile phone.

Australian Border Force (ABF) officers stopped the man before his departure, as he was suspected of purchasing online child exploitation material from the Philippines. During an examination of his mobile phone, officers allegedly found multiple photographs of a sexual nature involving persons under the age of 18.

Acting ABF Regional Commander Victoria Ranjeev Maharaj said the arrest reflected the ABF’s commitment to preventing the transmission and use of this material.

“Child exploitation material has no place in Australian society,”

A/g Regional Commander Maharaj said. “The ABF is committed to protecting the Australian community and our officers work tirelessly to detect and investigate anyone with links to this material.” The man appeared before Melbourne Magistrates Court on 25 July and will reappear on 19 October 2018.

The maximum penalty for an individual importing or exporting child exploitation material is $180,000 and/or imprisonment for 10 years. People with information about the illicit importation and export of child exploitation material should contact Border Watch at australia.gov.au/borderwatch.

Media contact: Australian Border Force (02) 6264 2244

Source: Man-arrested-Melbourne-Airport-Child-Exploitation-Material.pdf