Over 80 officers from the Australian Border Force (ABF) in collaboration with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) have conducted an operation under Taskforce Cadena uncovering the suspected widespread exploitation of foreign workers. 

The ABF with assistance from the AFP executed multiple warrants in the area south-east of Melbourne yesterday locating 61 unlawful non-citizens and seizing over $400,000 in cash.

The Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Peter Dutton congratulated the ABF and its partners on this successful operation and their commitment to identifying coordinated illegal foreign work operations and shutting them down.

"The Government will not tolerate attempts to exploit our visa system or vulnerable individuals and this is precisely why Taskforce Cadena was established," Mr Dutton said.

“The message here is simple: if you are exploiting workers, if you are in Australia without a valid visa, or if you work in breach of your visa conditions, you will be caught."

Taskforce Cadena is an ongoing Joint Agency Taskforce comprising the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, its operational arm the ABF and the Fair Work Ombudsman.