A Chinese national has faced Northbridge Magistrates Court today (2 March, 2025) charged with alleged child abuse material offences.
The man, 21, arrived in Perth on a flight from Thailand yesterday (1 March, 2025), when he was selected for a baggage examination by Australian Border Force (ABF) officers.
During the examination, which included a search of the man's mobile phone, ABF officers allegedly located three videos on the phone believed to be child abuse material.
AFP officers at Perth Airport were called to the scene and placed the man under arrest.
The man was charged with two counts of possess child abuse material, contrary to Section 474.22A(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).
The maximum penalty for these offences is 15 years' imprisonment.
AFP Commander Renee Colley said the arrest highlighted the AFP and its law enforcement partners dedicated efforts to identify and prevent child exploitation no matter where it is in the world.
"Combating child exploitation is our focus and this arrest again highlights the strong presence the AFP and our Commonwealth law enforcement partners have at Australia's borders to target, identify and prosecute alleged offenders," Cmdr Colley said.
"We will continue to work with our partners to vigilantly monitor those travelling through our airports."
ABF Acting Commander Deryck Sweeney said the ABF continues to work closely with its partners in a collective effort to protect the most vulnerable members of the community.
"ABF officers remain committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse both on our shores as well as abroad", Acting Commander Sweeney said.
"The Australian border serves as a critical asset in our fight against the production and distribution of such abhorrent material.
"Along with our partners, we will ensure that anybody who seeks to bring child abuse material into Australia is apprehended and met with the full weight of the law".
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) is driving a collaborative national approach to combatting child abuse.
The ACCCE brings together specialist expertise and skills in a central hub, supporting investigations into online child sexual exploitation and developing prevention strategies focused on creating a safer online environment.
Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse are urged to contact the ACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.
If you or someone you know is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available.
Research conducted by the ACCCE in 2020 revealed only about half of parents talked to their children about online safety. Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found at the ThinkUKnow website, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.
