Arncliffe man Surya Subekti charged with child trafficking
A south Sydney supermarket manager accused of running a sex-trafficking syndicate between Indonesia and Australia has been released back into the community on bail.
Southern Courier
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A supermarket manager accused of being the ringleader of a sex-trafficking syndicate which used an Indonesian recruiter to bring victims, including children, into the country has been released back into the community on bail.
Surya Subekti was supported by his wife at Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday where he appeared by video link after being charged with child trafficking.
There is no suggestion the 43-year-old’s wife had any knowledge of the alleged offending and she has not been charged with any offences.
The Australian Federal Police allege Subekti was the principal of an organised crime syndicate which profited from human trafficking and worked with an Indonesian-based recruiter to find victims to send to Australia.
The AFP further allege he organised the transportation of a 17-year-old from Indonesia to Sydney to engage in sex work.
The court heard a search warrant was executed at Subekti’s Arncliffe home where multiple electronic devices were seized in March.
In May, the AFP and the Australian Border Force executed further search warrants at three brothels in Sydney, finding nine women alleged to be engaged in sex work in violation of their visa conditions.
A review of the seized materials identified another six overseas women who were scheduled to be trafficked into Australia for potential servitude, however, Operation Mirani prevented their departure from Indonesia.
After a 20-month joint investigation between the AFP, Department of Home Affairs, and Indonesian National Police, Subekti was arrested in July.
The court heard a woman who was allegedly involved, was also arrested in Indonesia.
Further evidence obtained during the search warrants allegedly linked a 35-year-old Sydney woman to the criminal enterprise.
It will be alleged by the AFP she fraudulently enrolled students at an education provider to prolong the alleged victims’ stay in Australia, during which they were further exploited to work in the sex industry instead of attending their enrolled courses.
The woman’s visa was cancelled and she has been detained at Villawood Detention Centre.
Crown prosecutor Phoebe Miley-Dwyer told the court on Tuesday photographic evidence of the 17-year-old was allegedly disseminated by Subekti in WhatsApp threads and the girl had identified him by name.
She said Subekti was allegedly part of a “sophisticated international syndicate” and there was a risk of him influencing witnesses in Australia and overseas, if granted bail.
Defence barrister Wali Shukoor submitted there was no evidence before the court that his client had interfered with witnesses since the initial search warrant and his eventual arrest.
“I’m instructed by my solicitor … [the] accused complied with the search warrant … and provided device access [to the] seized items,” he said.
Mr Shukoor said his client did not know the “whereabouts” of the alleged victim.
Despite Magistrate Margaret Quinn saying her first initial view was that Subekti shouldn’t be granted bail and there was a strong prosecution case, she acknowledge he had strong community ties and there were strict bail conditions available.
Subekti was ultimately granted bail.
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