A boat carrying a dozen people, believed to be Chinese asylum seekers, has been intercepted by authorities off the coast of Far North Queensland.
Australian Border Force (ABF) stopped the vessel near Weipa, the largest town on the Cape York Peninsula, with the assistance of Queensland Police.
It is understood the group of Chinese nationals was taken into custody.
Few details are available, with an ABF spokesman telling the Daily Mail they do not comment on or confirm operational matters.
But news of the suspected people smuggling operation prompted renewed calls to strengthen Australia’s border protection.
‘All over the news tonight, a boatload of a dozen illegal Chinese immigrants intercepted at Weipa in my electorate,’ Cook MP David Kempton said on Tuesday.
‘I have for months been advocating [that] the Federal government take seriously our porous northern borders after dozens of illegal Indonesian fishing vessels were captured in the Torres Strait.
‘That such a large vessel was able to venture so far into Australian waters before being detected proves there is much to be done.
A boat carrying a dozen people, believed to be Chinese asylum seekers, has been intercepted off Far North Queensland (Pictured, asylum seekers arrive at Christmas Island in 2013)
Australian Border Force stopped the boat near Weipa on the Cape York Peninsula
It is understood the group of Chinese nationals was taken into custody (Pictured, a beach at Nanum Weipa)
‘We need to act now before this escalates out of control.’
At least a dozen asylum seeker boats carrying a combined 80 passengers arrived on Australia’s shores in recent months, according to the Refugee Council of Australia.
Anyone who attempts an unauthorised boat voyage to Australia will be turned back to their point of departure, returned to their home country, or transferred to a third country for processing, according to the Home Affairs department.
‘Since 2013, Australia has intercepted every boat attempting to enter illegally,’ a statement on the government website says.
‘Every vessel is closely watched. There is zero chance of illegal migration to Australia.’
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