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BRISBANE, Australia - Six Indonesians have appeared in an Australian court on charges of people smuggling.
A navy patrol boat picked up two of the men west of Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean in February. The others were found in January on Ashmore Reef, about 200 miles (320 kilometres) off Australia’s northwest coast.
They have each been charged with one count of organizing and bringing groups of non-citizens into Australia. They could face up to 20 years in jail.
They did not apply for bail on Friday and were ordered to reappear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Aug. 27.
Australia is increasingly targeted by asylum seekers from the Middle East and Asia who often fly to Indonesia then pay people smugglers to ship them to Australia.
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