ABF report disturbing rise in alleged importation of child-like sex dolls into Australia
Authorities are seizing child-like sex dolls at the country’s border on an almost weekly basis in a “disturbing rise” in importations which can attract maximum fines of almost $800,000 and 10-year jail terms. See who has been charged.
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Authorities are seizing child-like sex dolls at the country’s border on an almost weekly basis in what is being described as a “disturbing rise” in importations of the banned sick playthings which can attract maximum fines of almost $800,000 and 10-year jail terms.
Australian Border Force officials have made six arrests during seven raids in NSW alone since November, including the charging of three Hunter men over their unrelated alleged attempts to bring the child-like sex dolls into their homes.
It follows 47 dolls being seized by ABF officials across Australia in air, sea and mail cargo during the financial year ending last month and has prompted a warning for others getting on websites to order the products to know of the consequences.
The offence of importing tier two goods, namely child-like sex dolls, in contravention of the Customs Act (1901) attracts maximum penalties of a $782,500 fine and a decade behind bars, or both.
Lake Macquarie man Trevor Richard Jones, 63, pleaded guilty in Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday to the Commonwealth charge of intentionally importing prohibited tier 2 goods without approval before his matter was adjourned to Toronto in August.
Jones was arrested during a raid of a Cooranbong property on November 11 last year, after ABF officers found a child-like sex doll in an air cargo consignment in October.
He was the first of three significant arrests across the Hunter, with ABF officers raids a property north of Scone on May 14 after allegedly finding a doll within an air cargo consignment declared as a “silicone doll” the previous month.
Paul Adams, 49, was charged with the importation count as well as a series of other charges including four counts of possessing etc child abuse data – using a carriage service, and one count of possessing bestiality material.
Adams has not been required to enter any pleas and remains in custody on remand after not applying for bail.
And last month, 52-year-old Anthony Blakewell was arrested at a Whitebridge address following a raid on a northern NSW premises before being charged with importing a child-like sex doll.
Blakewell has also not been required to enter a plea and was granted conditional bail to reappear in court on August 6.
“The Australian Border Force (ABF) is cracking down on a disturbing rise in attempted importations of child-like sex dolls into New South Wales (NSW), with more than half a dozen warrants actioned since late 2024,” the ABF said in a statement.
ABF Insp Michael Mahony said backing the intelligence and officers that protect the most vulnerable members of our community would always be a top priority for the ABF.
“These are just a few examples of recent actions taken by the ABF in relation to child-like sex dolls. Dolls that normalise child exploitation are far from a victimless crime and they have no place in the Australian community,” Insp Mahony said.
“Our officers utilise intelligence-led screening and risk-based targeting to disrupt illicit goods like these child-like sex dolls from being imported into our country.”
“The ABF is resolute in its commitment to seize any and all forms of abhorrent child abuse material at the border and ensure those responsible are prosecuted.”