Australia jails 6 Indonesians for people smuggling

PERTH, Australia – Australia has jailed six Indonesian fishermen for five years each for smuggling Afghan asylum seekers into the country.

The men were sentenced Tuesday in Perth District Court.

The court was told that the men were paid about 1,000 Australian dollars ($929) each to crew a vessel from Indonesia into Australian waters carrying about 150 Afghans between April and May this year. The men normally earned less than AU$60 ($56) a month.

Judge Andrew Stavrianou said the men's actions put lives at risk for financial gain and imposed the minimum mandatory sentence.

Australia is caught up in a political battle over an increasing number of boat arrivals this year.