Human Trafficking on the Border of Indonesia and Timor Leste: Why Australia Must Care

Understanding and addressing trafficking dynamics along the Indonesia–Timor-Leste border is therefore critical for Australia, because targeted cooperation, improved data, and gender-sensitive, victim-centred approaches can prevent exploitation while strengthening regional governance.

In July 2024, a man was charged in connection with the trafficking of an Indonesian teenager to work in a Sydney brothel. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have expressed concerns that the trafficking case may be linked to a global organised crime network. This incident not isolated. It highlights the persistence of trafficking operations originating in the Global South and extending into Australia. Australia’s geographical proximity to Indonesia and Timor-Leste has also contributed to the use of these borders as key routes for trafficking networks. If left unexamined, these dynamics risk entrenching organised criminal activity and undermining regional governance.