Two brothers, mother arrested over allegedly keeping woman in slavery
Australian Federal Police have arrested two brothers and their mother for their alleged role in keeping an Afghani woman, who was married to one of the men, as a slave in Sydney's west.
A 39-year-old man, his 28-year-old brother and their 58-year-old mother were arrested at a home in Merrylands on Wednesday.
It is alleged the trio played a role in forcing the woman into domestic servitude.
The investigation prompted authorities to reopen another referral relating to historic allegations of slavery against the 39-year-old man, who was married to the Afghani woman, and his previous wife about six years ago.
Wednesday's arrests are the culmination of an investigation launched in March last year, after the Afghani woman contacted authorities in February.
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Police will allege the woman was deceived by her husband and his family into travelling to Afghanistan on a one-way ticket in January last year, while her husband allegedly returned to Australia a few days later without her.
She had recently returned to Sydney after travelling to Afghanistan with her husband .
After the woman contacted police, Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force officers conducted a search on a property in Merrylands, where they seizing personal items belonging to the woman and almost $89,000 in cash.
The 39-year-old man and his mother have both been charged with possessing a slave and maintaining excessive powers of ownership over a slave.
The 28-year-old man has been charged with exercising powers of ownership over a slave.
While the charges laid on Wednesday relate to the 39-year-old's current wife, it is understood the investigation into the man resulted in the reopening of a 2013 referral relating to allegations of domestic servitude involving the 39-year-old man’s first wife.
All three are scheduled to appear before Sydney Central Local Court on Wednesday.
Federal police acting Commander of National Response Operations Chris Goldsmid said the investigation was a reminder that "modern slavery exists in Australia".
He said law enforcement continued to work to protect victims of slavery, adding that both alleged female victims linked to Wednesday's arrest have been supported under the Australian government’s Support for Trafficked People Program.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/two-brothers-mother-arrested-over-allegedly-...