A Queensland man is scheduled to appear before Mackay Magistrates Court today (17 June, 2026) after being charged with child abuse material offences.
Investigations began in March 2025, after a report from the Australian Border Force (ABF) about suspected child abuse material found on the mobile phone of a man who had arrived on a flight back into Australia.
AFP investigators in Queensland worked with AFP liaison officers based in Paris, China, Bali and Manila to identify and ensure the safety of children depicted in the images and videos. Inquiries into this aspect are ongoing.
The man, 70, was arrested by investigators after a search warrant at an Ilbilbie home yesterday (16 June, 2026). AFP officers located several electronic devices, which will undergo further forensic examination.
The man was charged with:
- Eleven counts of possessing or controlling child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service, contrary to s474.22A of the Criminal Code (Cth). The Maximum penalty of this offence is 15 years’ imprisonment.
- Two counts of using a carriage service to transmit indecent communications to a person under 16 years of age, contrary to section 474.27(A) of the Criminal Code (Cth). The Maximum penalty of this offence is 10 years’ imprisonment.
Investigations are ongoing and additional charges have not been ruled out.
AFP Detective Superintendent Adrian Telfer said the AFP and its local, national and international law enforcement partners were committed to protecting children from those seeking to exploit them.
“Protecting children from abuse and exploitation is a priority for the AFP, and we are relentless in our efforts to identify, disrupt and hold offenders to account,” Det-Supt Telfer said.
“This investigation has involved a significant level of work with overseas law enforcement agencies, which demonstrates the reach of the AFP and our commitment to bringing alleged offenders to account.”
ABF Superintendent John Ikin said the matter demonstrated that the border is not just a line on a map, but a critical point of intervention.
“ABF officers are trained to detect and disrupt threats at Australia’s border, and in this case, their examination of an electronic device identified material suspected to be child abuse material and triggered a significant national and international investigation,” Supt Ikin said.
“Anyone attempting to carry, access or share child abuse material should know there is nowhere to hide. ABF officers, working with our domestic and international partners, will continue to identify offenders, protect children, and help safeguard the Australian community by bringing those responsible before the courts.”
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) is driving a collaborative national approach to combatting child abuse.
The ACCCE brings together specialist expertise and skills in a central hub, supporting investigations into online child sexual exploitation and developing prevention strategies focused on creating a safer online environment.
Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse are urged to contact the ACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.
If you or someone you know is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available.
Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found at the ThinkUKnow website, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.
