Australia-Indonesia Child Trafficking Ring Unveiled

A 43-year-old man in Australia has been charged with child trafficking for allegedly bringing a teenager from Indonesia for sex work. A woman in Jakarta was also arrested for recruiting victims. The trafficker reportedly placed multiple Indonesian women in Sydney brothels. The syndicate's activities, which began in 2019, involved around 50 victims.

Australian police have charged a 43-year-old man with child trafficking for allegedly bringing a teenager from Indonesia to Australia for sex work. A Jakarta-based woman was also detained for recruiting these victims, according to the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

The man faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and is due to appear in a Sydney court on Tuesday. The investigation started in December 2022 after police learned that foreign nationals in Australia were being forced into sex work.

Djuhandhani Rahardjo Puro, an official at Indonesia's criminal investigation agency, revealed that several Indonesian women were sent to Australia and placed in brothels. The trafficking ring has reportedly been active since 2019 and has recruited around 50 victims. The alleged trafficker profited around 500 million rupiah ($30,873.73).

(With inputs from agencies.)