Border Force brothel raids find women exploited, trafficked for sex

Women have been found working against their will and in “appalling conditions” at brothels across Australia, a harrowing investigation has revealed.

A blitz on brothels across Australia has uncovered women working illegally — some of them against their will — in “appalling conditions”.

And it can be revealed criminal syndicates are now sourcing sex slaves from new countries including Japan.

The Australian Border Force (ABF) raids on brothels in five states and one territory found six women suspected of being exploited at the hands of their bosses and another believed to have been trafficked by a crime gang for sex.

Three women were also discovered to be living and working unlawfully in Australia, after search warrants were executed on 13 brothels in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin and regional NT.

Australian Border Force officers launch a crackdown on exploited sex workers across the country. Picture: Supplied ABF

Those women were among seven migrant sex workers being housed at a rented property on the outskirts of Sydney.

In a separate Sydney raid, exclusive footage shows 25 officers, including four armed police, entering the back door of a Sydney brothel after intelligence led them to the city property.

A woman there was found to be in Australia illegally and was detained and taken to immigration detention.

Australian Border Force officers launch a crackdown on exploited sex workers across the country. Picture: Supplied ABF.

ABF Field Operations Superintendent Ian Kelly said a team of 21 officers and four Australian Federal Police officers conducted the search warrants last week.

”You just don’t know what you will face until you walk in,” Mr Kelly said.

“It is scary to see some of the practices that exist.

“Some women have been found in appalling conditions.”

ABF Field Operations Commander Superintendent Ian Kelly. Supplied ABF

The raids are part of a nationwide blitz on visa fraud, and exploitation of migrant workers known as Operation Inglenook. It was established last year to identify criminals groups exploiting visa programs and women with visas who are victims of trafficking or modern slavery in the sex industry.

In some cases, women were being forced to sleep on a mattress on the floor, others were being forced to live, eat, and conduct sex work all from one room.

The crackdown has already identified more than 170 people as potential criminal enablers and 15 people have been refused entry to Australia at the border on suspicion they were involved in visa-related crimes.

Last year there were 328 new reports relating to allegations human trafficking and slavery offences including domestic slavery to Australian Federal Police (AFP) of which 74 related to allegations of sex slavery.

The AFP are currently investigating 10 cases of alleged debt bondage and 19 cases of trafficking for sex.

Australia has been a destination country for women being trafficked for sexual slavery for decades. In the past, traffickers have focused on source countries such as Thailand, Korea and China.

But now according to Mr Kelly, “criminal syndicates are spreading their investments and risks” and are trafficking women from new source countries including high socio-economic societies like Japan.

“There is no specific country any more it is all to do with profiteering,” he said.

“Criminal syndicates will do whatever it takes to increase their bottom line.

The US State Department has also identified Japan as a major destination, source, and transit country for men and women subjected to forced labour and sex trafficking

In last week’s raid, 18 migrant women were found working in the Sydney brothel.

One of the brothels searched during raids last week by Australian Border Force officers. Supplied ABF …

One woman was taken to Sydney’s Villawood detention centre after she was found to have breached her visa working conditions for the second time. She had been given a bridging visa to get her affairs in order and leave the country, but she didn’t comply.

The brothel owner will face a fine of up to $60,000 for allowing her to work on their premises.

Forty three massage related businesses from every state and territory except the NT and Tasmania have been named and shamed on the ABF’s new register of sanctioned sponsors.

The register outs businesses which sponsor workers to come to Australia and then exploit them.

Mr Kelly said the raids had revealed “practices which are putting migrant workers in a degree of danger.”

He said the ABF staff are trained to talk to the women sensitively and in a reassuring way, because they are so vulnerable.

“We have trained our officers in teasing out information from the women and peeling back the layers,” he said.

Mr Kelly said exploitation of the women relied on the fact they are unsure how agencies will react to their situation.

“There are criminal syndicates involved, and the individuals are not overly confidant,” she said.

Originally published as Border Force brothel raids find women exploited, trafficked for sex