Hundreds of convicted and suspected child sex offenders have been tracked through Australian airports as they head overseas, including to countries that are a known target for child abusers.
Authorities closely monitored the travel plans of some 700 people in the last financial year, with just under half triggering automatic warnings to INTERPOL and law enforcement in other nations.
Australia has the third-highest number of INTERPOL Green notices in the world, with 94 per cent related to travelling child sex offenders and the rest to others convicted of serious crimes.
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Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner David McLean said counterparts overseas have spent considerable effort to stop children ending up in “horrible situations” but all that work can be undone by relatively wealthy Australian predators who pay to abuse children.
“This is an insidious crime type where prevention is much more important than any ‘cure’,” he said.
“The AFP is committed to working with our regional partners through INTERPOL to combat the abuse of children anywhere in the world, through every means at our disposal.”
Australians on the National Child Offenders System need permission to go overseas and are watched closely at international airports, with their details passed on to countries targeted by child abusers and other nations that want to be kept up to date on their whereabouts.
They often jet overseas, are refused entry at immigration and told to go home on the next available flight, according to Australian Federal Police.
INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock said Australia was proactive about warning other countries of the travel plans of known child sex offenders.
“A leading player in international police cooperation, Australia has consistently demonstrated a strong and unwavering commitment to child protection, both online and in the real world,” Stock said.