Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Australia continues to be bugged by the arrival of boats carrying asylum seekers in its waters. Over the past 30 days in January 2010, Australian patrol boats had captured at least six such vessels.

According to a press statement issued by Australian Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O`Connor obtained by ANTARA on Saturday, the latest interception of an asylum seekers` boat happened on January 26.

The HMAS Launceston, operating under the Border Protection Command, intercepted the boat at a spot 12 nautical miles north-east of Ashmore Islands.

O`Connor said initial indications suggested that there were 48 passengers and three crew on board the vessel. But he did not mention the countries of origin of the passengers and crew members.

In its fight against people smugglers in the Asia Pacific region, he said, Canberra is working with its neighbors based on bilateral cooperation agreements and the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crimes.

"People smuggling is a global and regional problem. According to the UNHCR 2008 Global Trends report, there were 42 million forcibly displaced persons worldwide at the end of 2008, including 15.2 million refugees," Brendan O`Connor said.

The Australian Government had committed more than 654 million Australian dollars to implementing a comprehensive people smuggling strategy to combat the practice, he said.

Canberra had even expanded its presence in the region with the Australian Federal Police (AFP), Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) and the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service recently setting up or expanding liaison posts devoted to deterring irregular migration.

"The agencies are working closely with their counterparts in other countries, exchanging and gathering information, and strengthening our regional capacity to mitigate irregular migration to Australia."

"Our strengthened offshore approach is working. Since September 2008, there have been 94 disruptions of people smuggling ventures in Indonesia, and the arrest of 40 people smuggling organizers," he said.

As in the previous cases, the passengers of the captured boats were transported to the Australian Immigration`s detention center on Christmas Island to have security, identity and health checks as well as establish their reasons for travel.

The Indonesian Consulate in Perth noted that there were a number of Indonesians among the captains and crew members of the boats bringing asylum seekers to Australia. (*)