Indian Student Arrested in Perth Airport with Child Pornography Material

The Australian Border Force (ABF) has arrested a 21-year-old Indian student after they found child pornography material in his phone.

According to reports, the unnamed student arrived in Perth from Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 9. ABF officers stopped him for baggage check and while examining his phone, they found several objectionable materials in the form of nine videos and six pictures depicting various sexual activities involving children, ABF said in a news release.

According to media reports, his phone was seized, and his visitor’s visa was cancelled immediately.

Our officers at @PerthAirport recently detained a 21 year-old Indian student allegedly found with a large amount of child exploitation material on his phone. He is now facing up to 10 years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $525,000. For more: https://t.co/b3p4PZuOvJ. pic.twitter.com/Rr5TAqnmyi

— ABF (@AusBorderForce) October 10, 2018

He has been is charged with one count of Importation of a Prohibited Import which include “items of child pornography or child abuse material.”

He was produced before a Perth Magistrates Court on oct. 10 and has been taken into custody. According to the Daily Mail newspaper, his next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 26.

According to SBS, the student faces a maximum of 10 years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to A$525,000, if convicted.

ABF Regional Commander for Western Australia, Rod O’Donnell said in a press statement that the agency was concerned with several foreign visitors to Australia coming with child exploitation material.

“ABF officers are highly skilled at identifying people at our airports who are attempting to carry this abhorrent material across the border,” O’Donnell said. 

“Unfortunately, we are seeing too many cases where travelers have this material on their phones and other devices. Visitors need to be aware that possession of child exploitation material is viewed very seriously under Australian law,” he added.