32-year-old Iranian to face court over people smuggling

A 32-YEAR-OLD Iranian man arrested in Sydney has been charged with aiding people smugglers after authorities found passport details in an airmail package.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) will allege that the man was involved in a Thai-based syndicate that helped people enter Australia illegally.

An investigation began after an air cargo package from Thailand was intercepted by customs, the AFP said in a statement on Wednesday.

The package contained a USB memory stick holding approximately 450 images of passports and other details such as names and passport numbers.

A large number of the passports had been reported by Interpol as stolen, AFP investigations found.

The Iranian man was arrested by AFP agents on Tuesday, and premises in the inner Sydney suburb of Surry Hills were searched a short time later.

He has been charged with taking part in the bringing or coming to Australia of a non-citizen under circumstances from which it might reasonably be inferred that the person intended to enter Australia illegally.

The man is due in Sydney Central Local Court on Wednesday and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years' jail and/or a $110,000 fine if convicted.

- AAP / 2009-05-06

Do they normally search any digital media mailed to Australia ? I can't help but think there's more to this than meets the eye.

Excerpt from article:

Sydney post office ban for alleged people smugglers

It came as another man faced the same court for people-smuggling offences.

Iranian Ashkan Davani, 32, was arrested in Sydney on Tuesday after a package from Thailand was found with a memory stick containing 450 images of passports, including names and numbers.

Davani's matter was adjourned to May 13, when he is expected to apply for bail.

- The Daily Telegraph (Australia) / 2009-05-07

full article here:

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/stor...5006009,00.html

Iranian charged over people smuggling scam

A 32-year-old Iranian man's been charged in Sydney over a people smuggling racket.

In January this year an air cargo package from Thailand was intercepted by Australian customs. It contained a USB stick with 450 images of passports, scanned passport photos, names and passport numbers.

An investigation by Australian Federal Police found a large number of the passports had been reported stolen by Interpol. As a result the 32-year-old was arrested in Sydney yesterday; AFP officers then searched a Surry Hills property.

He's accused of being involved in a Thai-based syndicate, which has been illegally bringing people into Australia.

He faces Central local Court today.

- Macquarie National News / 2009-05-06

Three accused over 'false' passports

An Iranian man who allegedly used a false passport to bring his brother to Australia is behind bars charged with people smuggling.

His case is the second alleged passport scandal uncovered in Sydney in four days, after two women were arrested on Saturday.

In the latest incident, Ashkan Davani, 32, is accused of bringing his brother Niakan Davani to Australia "under a false passport" between December 30 and April 5, Sydney's Central Local Court was told on Wednesday.

Davani was arrested on Tuesday after Australian Federal Police (AFP) raided a Surry Hills property.

Investigations began in January when police intercepted an air cargo package from Thailand.

"The package contained a USB holding approximately 450 images of passports, scanned passport photos and other details, such as names and passport numbers," the AFP said in a statement.

"AFP investigations revealed a large number of these passports had been reported stolen by Interpol."

It is alleged Davani is part of a Thai-based syndicate that helped bring people to Australia illegally.

Tim Postma for the Commonwealth Department of Public Prosecutions said a large amount of evidence would come from telephone intercepts and compiling it would take several weeks.

Davani, who required an interpreter, did not apply for bail and the matter was adjourned until Wednesday, May 15, at Sydney's Central Local Court.

Earlier on Wednesday, the same court heard two Sydney women were allegedly involved in a scam to create fake passports with the intention of bringing illegal immigrants to Australia.

< different case information snipped >

- AAP / 2009-05-06