A Chinese national has been arrested and charged with the alleged importation of child abuse material following an Australian Border Force (ABF) investigation.
Investigations commenced in September 2023 into the importation of DVDs that contained child abuse material. Following extensive line of enquires, ABF Regional Investigations (VIC/TAS) executed Customs Act 1901 search and seizure warrants at a residential premises in Burwood East, Melbourne to gather evidence to support a criminal prosecution.
Key digital evidence such DVDs and hard drives have been seized from the premises.
The man, 35, appeared in Melbourne Magistrate’s Court on 11 January 2024, where he was granted bail until his next appearance on 5 April 2024.
He has been charged with the following offences:
2 counts of intentionally imported goods, being tier 2 goods contrary to S233BAB(5) of the Customs Act 1901; and
1 count of possess or control material, being child abuse material in the form of data held in a computer or contained on a data storage device and using a carriage of service to access the material contrary to s474.22A(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995.
The maximum penalty for the offences is up to 15 years.
ABF Superintendent, Regional Investigations (VIC/TAS), Simone Mendes said ABF officers played a critical role at the border to protect the community, which includes the importation of illegal and abhorrent digital material featuring child victims both within Australia and abroad.
“Child abuse material on media files and electronic devices is not a victimless crime. Children are not commodities to be used for the abhorrent gratification of sexual predators,” Superintendent Mendes said.
“We are dedicated to ensuring people seeking to import child abuse material into Australia are caught and will face the full consequences of their actions.”
“ABF will continue to work with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Victoria Police (VICPOL) through Joint Anti Child Exploitation Teams and Sexual Offences and Child-abuse Investigation Teams (SOCIT) to detect and disrupt individuals that seek to procure and import child abuse material.”
Members of the community are encouraged to report suspicious border-related activity through Border Watch at abf.gov.au/borderwatch. By reporting suspicious activities, you help protect Australia’s border and the community. Reports can be made anonymously.
