Australia arrests 'people smuggler'

Coastal surveillance increased after the Tampa crisis

Australian police have arrested a Palestinian man accused of smuggling 1,700 people from the Middle East into Australia over the past two years.

The man, who was arrested on arrival at Perth airport in western Australia, will be charged with 34 people-smuggling offences under the Migration Act.

The movements of the suspect have been monitored as he has travelled around the world in a lengthy and complex investigation

Police statement

If convicted, he faces a maximum 20 years in jail or a $220,000 (US$110,000) fine, since the Australian Government strengthened its laws to deter smugglers.

Australian Federal Police said the arrest was the result of a two-year joint investigation with immigration officials.

"The movements of the suspect have been monitored as he has travelled around the world in a lengthy and complex investigation across many international jurisdictions," they said in a statement.

"Federal agents were waiting for an opportunity to arrest the suspect when he entered Australian jurisdiction."

Growing problem

The number of asylum seekers arriving illegally on Australia's shores has risen to about 5,000 per year in recent years - a significant jump from the few hundred arriving five years ago.

Howard has boosted his popularity ahead of the election

The issue was thrown centre stage in August when a Norwegian container ship, the Tampa, carrying more than 400 asylum seekers who had been rescued from a sinking Indonesian boat, was preventing from making land.

Eventually Australia offered the small island nation of Nauru $20m (US$10m) in aid to process the boat people's asylum claims.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard's tough stance over the boat-people boosted his ratings in the opinion polls ahead of this year's general election.

In the wake of the Tampa crisis the Australian Government has stepped up its surveillance of Australian waters, recently intercepting a number of boats carrying hundreds of illegal immigrants and forcing them to Nauru.