Australian Border Force officers have detained four high-priority unlawful non-citizens in Far North Queensland following a six-day, multi-agency operation targeting migrant worker exploitation, immigration non-compliance and criminal syndicates profiting from illegal labour. A fifth individual was issued a Bridging Visa with strict conditions requiring their immediate departure from Australia.
The operation covered Cairns, the Atherton Tablelands and the Cassowary Coast, with support from Queensland Police, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and the Office of Industrial Relations. Joint teams carried out unannounced visits to private residences, illegal tobacco outlets, remote farms and industrial worksites to locate offenders, safeguard exploited workers and refer them to appropriate support services.
Among those detained was a suspected scam migration agent and his unlawful non-citizen partner in Innisfail, who allegedly charged vulnerable Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme workers to lodge invalid Protection Visa applications, in some cases without their knowledge or consent. Officers also identified labour-hire intermediaries accused of encouraging PALM scheme workers to abandon approved employers before exploiting them through illegal cash-in-hand arrangements and charging them to live in overcrowded accommodation likened to modern slavery.
Among those detained was a suspected scam migration agent and his unlawful non-citizen partner in Innisfail, who allegedly charged vulnerable Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme workers to lodge invalid Protection Visa applications, in some cases without their knowledge or consent
In a separate action, officers executed a pre-dawn warrant at a Dimbulah property to locate an unlawful non-citizen alleged to be facilitating unlawful immigration assistance and trafficking illegal migrant workers to local businesses. The individual was found at the property and detained for removal from Australia. Another person, known to Queensland Police for allegedly using violence and coercion to funnel vulnerable workers into illegal work, substandard housing and appalling working conditions, was also detained.
ABF Commander John Taylor said the operation formed part of a national crackdown on those exploiting migrant workers for profit. “Operations like this ensure Far North Queensland is not seen as a safe haven for migrant worker exploitation or visa abuse. We will not accept workers being exploited, placed in substandard housing, and then forced to pay for the privilege,” Commander Taylor said.
“Our intelligence clearly identifies where these offenders are operating, and we will continue to uncover and detain them while dismantling their criminal networks,” he said.
Commander Taylor said regional communities had little tolerance for such activity. “Regional communities like Mareeba and Innisfail don’t want exploitation happening in their backyard, and members of the public continue to play a critical role by reporting concerns and helping to disrupt this behaviour, particularly in the agricultural industry,” he said.
Authorities warned that those who breach immigration and workplace laws face heavy penalties for employing or referring illegal workers or exploiting migrant labour, including infringements, civil prosecution or being publicly declared a prohibited employer. Employers are urged to check work rights through the Visa Entitlement Verification Online system, while information about suspected offences can be reported to Home Affairs through Border Watch. Disengaged workers seeking to re-engage in the PALM scheme are encouraged to access dedicated support services.
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