Eagle-eyed Australian Border Forcer (ABF) officers recently detained a male traveller after he admitted to using false identities to try to enter the country.
The Belgian national arrived into Sydney International Airport from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on 25 July 2023 holding an eVisitor (subclass 651) visa.
The traveller came to the attention of officers after matching a profile which aims to identify travellers importing illicit goods.
A full baggage examination was undertaken, with ABF officers locating documents for an identity with a different name.
Further identity checks revealed the traveller had attempted to enter Australia via Brisbane International Airport on 11 June 2023 using a different identity and was subsequently removed from Australia.
The Biometric Acquisition and Matching System returned results confirming the two identities were, in fact, the same person.
When interviewed, the traveller admitted they were previously removed from Australia to Belgium in June this year, and had since acquired a passport in another name.
The traveller was issued a Notice of Intention to Consider Cancellation under section 116(1)(d) of the Migration Act and traveller’s visa was subsequently cancelled.
ABF Superintendent Tina Tizzone said visa holders who commit crimes in Australia, including identity fraud, are subject to visa cancellation, detention and removal from Australia.
“Make no mistake, if you use a fake identity when entering the country, you will have your visa cancelled and be sent right back home,” Supt Tizzone said.
The traveller was detained under s189(1) of the Migration Act and transferred to Villawood Immigration Detention Centre pending removal from Australia.
The detainee was returned to Sydney International Airport and removed from Australia without incident the following day.
Anyone with information about suspicious border activity or border-related crime can report it anytime through Border Watch at borderwatch.gov.au. Information can be provided anonymously.
