A woman has been charged and dozens of fraudulently obtained identity documents seized after warrants were executed as part of an ongoing Australian Border Force (ABF) investigation into visa and migration fraud.
On 20 December 2018, ABF and Australian Federal Police (AFP) investigators executed warrants at a commercial premises in Auburn, where they allegedly found dozens of fraudulently obtained Medicare cards and credit cards.
A large number of documents and electronic evidence was also seized.
On 21 December 2018, a person of interest to the investigation attempted to board a flight to Shanghai and was stopped by ABF officers.
The 32-year-old Chinese national was arrested and charged by the AFP with 10 offences under the Migration Act 1958.
It will be alleged more than 1700 protection visa applications have been lodged by the woman, however she is not a registered migration agent.
ABF Regional Investigations NSW Superintendent Garry Low said protecting the integrity of the visa system was an operational priority for the ABF.
"This is a significant result – through inter-agency cooperation and a long-running investigation, we have been able to identify and stop a substantial unregistered migration practice," Superintendent Low said.
"Migration fraud is a very serious offence which carries severe penalties. People seeking migration advice should always ensure they use only registered migration agents to protect themselves from fraud."
Members of the public who have information about possible visa fraud are encouraged to report it to the ABF's BorderWatch program by visiting Australia.gov.au/borderwatch. Information can be given anonymously.
