This statement provides an update on Operation Sovereign Borders (OSB) activities related to the on-water reception and processing of illegal maritime arrivals (IMAs).
The reporting period is from 1 October 2018 to 31 October 2018.
During this reporting period there were no IMAs transferred to Australian Immigration authorities.
No IMAs were transferred to a regional processing country.
Three IMA detainees, who arrived in Australia before 1 January 2014, were voluntarily removed from Australia. One IMA detainee was involuntarily removed from Australia to their country of origin, consistent with Australia's obligations.
For the month of October 2018, there were two IMAs voluntarily returned to their country of origin from a regional processing country. *Excludes three RPC transitory IMAs returned to country of origin from Australia.
As at 31 October 2018, there was a total of 99 people in the Nauru RPC. The Manus RPC closed on 31 October 2017.
The processing of refugee claims are matters for the governments of PNG and Nauru.
On 18th October 2018, Afghan national Ahmad Zia ALIZADAH, was found guilty of people smuggling offences in relation to the facilitation of a number of people on ventures from Indonesia to Australia during 2009 and 2010.
ALIZADAH was tried in the District Court of WA following his extradition from Indonesia. On 22 November 2018 Alizadeh was sentenced to nine years imprisonment, with a non-parole period of four years and six months, for the following offences:
• Three counts of People Smuggling relating to SIEVs 100, 111 and 147.
• One count of an Aggravated Offence of People Smuggling – (5 or more persons) relating to SIEV 106.
