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."