Indonesian youth picked up at brothel

Indonesian youth picked up at brothel

GOLD COAST, Australia (AP): A 15-year-old illegal immigrant
from Indonesia was discovered working at a brothel in far
northern New South Wales, an immigration officer said yesterday.

The girl was discovered on Tuesday after a routine compliance
check of the legal brothel in Tweed Heads.

She was taken into custody and transferred to the Villawood
Detention Centre in Sydney, where she was being interviewed.

Gold Coast Immigration compliance manager Geoff Heath said the
girl was working with four other women at the brothel.

"We asked her her age which she admitted straight away and she
came away with us quietly," Heath said. "She appeared older
because of the way she was dressed."

Heath said police had been notified and that he could not give
further details in case the girl might be identified.

"It's not unusual to find illegal immigrants working as
prostitutes but it is unusual to find a girl of only 15," Heath
said.

"We don't see a lot of that up here. It usually seems
something associated with Sydney."