The Morrison Government’s strong commitment to protecting our region from people smuggling and other civil maritime security threats has again been demonstrated, with Operation Redback XVI – a joint operation between the Australian Border Force (ABF) and the Malaysia Coast Guard (MCG) – concluding on Sunday, 21 November 2021.
Minister for ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Affairs Karen Andrews said Australia would continue working with Malaysia, and other countries in our region, to counter people smuggling and human trafficking, prevent deaths at sea, and address maritime crime.
“Between 2008 and 2013, more than 50,000 people arrived in Australia on more than 820 illegal boats; tragically at least 1,200 died at sea. By working with our partners in the region to strengthen border protection arrangements, we can ensure this never happens again,” Minister Andrews said.
“Australia’s ongoing collaboration and strong partnership with Malaysia makes it very clear to people smuggling syndicates that both countries are resolute in their determination to stamp out maritime criminal activity.”
Redback XVI involved almost 300 inspections of various maritime vessels, and saw the ABF and MCG roll out a comprehensive strategic communication and community engagement campaign for local communities within the Batu Pahat, Muar and Johor Bahru regions; building on the strong success of Redback XV, which concluded in June 2021.
“The Redback series has been a tremendous success in 2021, and I look forward to further strong collaboration in 2022 and beyond,” Minister Andrews said.
More information on Operation Redback is available at the operation’s dedicated .
