June 19th 2024.
A middle-aged man, who was previously accused of dishonestly hiring crew members for his fishing boat and holding them against their will, is expected to appear in court today on 15 additional charges. The 47-year-old was first charged in December after law enforcement officials in Queensland discovered possible human trafficking activities.
This investigation was initiated when emergency services rescued two individuals from waters infested with crocodiles in northern Queensland. After further investigation, it was revealed that these two individuals had allegedly been threatened by their employer while working on his vessel. The man's initial court appearance was on December 22 in front of the Darwin Magistrates Court, where he was charged with 22 counts against nine victims.
According to police reports, the man had been posting job advertisements on Gumtree seeking deckhands and coxswains to join his fishing boat. However, it is alleged that once these individuals were on board, they were mistreated by the man and were not allowed to leave the vessel. As a result, he was charged with holding them against their will. The man was initially remanded in custody, but was later released on bail.
Further investigations have uncovered an additional five victims who were allegedly subjected to the same mistreatment by the man after being recruited to work on his fishing boat. The Australian Federal Police Acting Superintendent, Tim Puchala, expressed deep concern for the safety and well-being of these victims. He stated, "Our priority is the victims. This is a deeply troubling case involving a large number of individuals who were allegedly forced to work in a frightening and remote environment."
Today, the man will face 15 new charges related to human trafficking. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
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