Australian Border Force (ABF) investigators have charged a 26 year old Perth man over the alleged possession of a large number of child abuse images and the attempted importation of a child-like sex doll.
The man was arrested at Perth International Airport on Monday (2 December 2019) when he returned from a holiday in Thailand.
His mobile phone had been seized by ABF officers when he departed Perth on 21 November 2019, with a subsequent electronic examination of its contents allegedly locating several hundred images categorised as child abuse material.
In relation to the child-like sex doll, ABF officers at the Sydney Gateway Facility intercepted a parcel from Hong Kong on 17 September which was addressed to the man's residential address.
It'll be alleged the parcel contained the bottom half of a silicone female child-like sex doll.
The man has been charged with the following:
◦One count of attempting to Export a Prohibited Import being Tier 2 goods (Child Abuse Material) under Section 233BAB(6) of the Customs Act 1901.
◦One count of Importing Tier 2 goods, in contravention of Section 233BAB(5) of the Customs Act 1901.
He was granted conditional bail and is due to appear in the Perth Magistrate's Court on 13 December 2019.
ABF Commander of Investigations Graeme Grosse said tackling child abuse material is an operational priority for the ABF as part of its role in protecting the border from individuals who may pose a threat to the community.
"Child-like sex dolls are an emerging form of child abuse material that the ABF is determined to prevent from crossing our border," Commander Grosse said.
"These offences are viewed very seriously, with the maximum penalty for the import or export of child abuse material being 10 years' imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $525,000."
In addition to the importation offences, the Government recently strengthened the Commonwealth offences for possessing and otherwise dealing with child-like sex dolls.
On 21 September 2019, the Combatting Child Sexual Exploitation Legislation Amendment Act 2019 came into force.
These reforms amended the Criminal Code Act 1995 to:
◦introduce a new offence for possessing a child‑like sex doll, which is punishable by up to 15 years' imprisonment; and
◦amend the definition of 'child abuse material' to put beyond doubt that it is an offence to, for example, use the internet to advertise or solicit, or use a postal service to send, a child-like sex doll.
