Man allegedly caught hiding child abuse material in underwear and shoes
The 52-year-old was arrested at Sydney Airport in the early hours of June 25, 2025, after ABF officers selected him for screening and uncovered a disturbing cache of material hidden both on his body and across his devices.
A forensic examination of his phone allegedly revealed a large volume of child abuse material stored across multiple applications. During an interview, the man allegedly admitted to deleting some images before arriving in Australia.
Following a baggage search, officers allegedly located an additional mobile phone, tablet, smartwatch, hard drive, and laptop, all of which were seized for further inspection.
But a frisk search allegedly revealed the full extent of the concealment; five external hard drives were allegedly hidden in the man's shoes and another secreted in his underwear.
The man was arrested and charged with the importation of child abuse material, use of a carriage service to transmit child abuse material on January 19, 2023, and between December 6, 2022 and June 25, 2025, and obstruction of Commonwealth officials.
Acting Superintendent Michael Mahony praised the vigilance of ABF officers and described the case as 'a disturbing example' of the extreme lengths individuals go to in order to conceal illegal activity.
'This detection is the direct result of a robust combination of intelligence profiling, data analysis, and the vigilance of our frontline officers,' Superintendent Mahony said.
'But this isn't just about apprehending this individual, it's about protecting children from harm. Every file intercepted is a potential crime prevented and a child safeguarded.
'This case is a disturbing example of the extreme lengths some individuals go to in order to conceal their criminal activity, and we congratulate the officers involved for removing one more predator from our streets.'
The man was refused bail and is expected to reappear in court on August 19.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
18 minutes ago
- ABC News
Matt Wright trial live: Celebrity crocodile wrangler's close friend resumes evidence
The trial of celebrity crocodile wrangler Matt Wright is continuing in the Northern Territory Supreme Court, with a long-term friend of the Netflix star, Jai Tomlinson, returning to the stand this morning. Mr Wright has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice following a fatal chopper crash that killed his close friend and co-star, Chris "Willow" Wilson. The charges relate to alleged events in the days and months after the crash, which occurred more than three years ago during a crocodile egg-collecting mission in remote Arnhem Land. None of the charges relate to the cause of the chopper crash. If you missed yesterda'ys live coverage of the trial, you can catch up here. To stay up to date with this story, subscribe to ABC News.
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Bruce Lehrmann's defamation appeal live: Hearing enters day two
Bruce Lehrmann's appeal against last year's defamation ruling continues in the Federal Court today before three presiding judges. Mr Lehrmann sued Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson over an interview on The Project in which Brittany Higgins detailed her rape allegation. But last year, Justice Michael Lee found, on the balance of probabilities, the former Liberal Party staffer did rape his then-colleague in the Parliament House office of Senator Linda Reynolds, though he has consistently denied the allegation. Follow live.
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Empty Promises
More than $100 million has vanished in a financial scandal at the heart of the federal government's disability housing program. One enterprise lured in more than 500 Australians with the promise of glittering high returns and social good, only to be exposed as one of the country's most audacious investment scams. Investors were told their money would help tackle the disability housing crisis while earning government backed, fixed returns. Instead, $78 million is alleged to have disappeared into a web of failed projects, luxury cars, gambling sprees and offshore ventures. This week on Four Corners, reporter Jessica Longbottom reveals the cracks in the governance of Australia's disability housing market and exposes systemic regulatory failure. The government's Specialist Disability Accommodation program, part of the NDIS, was meant to transform lives, but it was handed to a poorly regulated private sector. Four Corners investigates how the program, marketed as an ethical investment, has turned into a feeding ground for property sharks and led to streets of vacant homes across the country. The program asks: is this once in a generation opportunity at risk of collapse amid fraud, waste and shattered trust? Empty Promises, reported by Jessica Longbottom and produced by Lesley Robinson, goes to air on Monday 25 August at 8.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview.
