Australian Border Force authorities have intercepted at least four illegal boats in the past 24 hours.
On Tuesday, authorities with the help of locals found four wooden vessels hidden in the mangrove forests of Kuri Bay, about 370 kilometres northeast of Broome in the far north of Western Australia.
Adrian Lane, the local owner of the Dambimangari tradition, was in the process of creating a cultural map of fish farming in the area when he first saw the first boat ‘high and dry’ in the mangrove forests.
Local tour operator Peter Tucker subsequently reported the illegal vessel and later met a patrol boat which led them to the vessel.
“They appreciated our help because they don’t know the country as well as we do, and we took them to the areas,” he told the ABC.
According to Lane, there has been an increase in illegal fishing and asylum seeker boats in the Kimberley region in recent years.
In recent months, asylum seeker boats have also arrived in Truscott and Beagle Bay.
Mr Tucker said he had spotted several boats hidden in “hideouts” in recent months, but noted that the groups often flee before authorities can arrive.
Four illegal wooden boats (left) were seized by Australian Border Force (right) on Tuesday morning
Local Indigenous man Adrian Lane helped authorities locate four wooden vessels hidden in the mangrove forests of Kuri Bay, about 370 kilometres northeast of Broome
“We weren’t surprised (by the sightings) because we’d been seeing them for a while,” Mr Tucker told the Western Australian.
‘We were delighted because the authorities finally managed to help, capture and arrest them.
‘They’ve been very prevalent on the Kimberley coast this year and I think today was a good day because they’re coming down in huge numbers.’
Mr Lane believes border control is not doing enough to stop illegal boats and is particularly concerned about the impact on ‘the health of the country’.
Locals have reported an increase in illegal fishing and asylum seeker boats in the Kimberley region, but noted that the groups often flee before authorities can arrive (pictured, the ABF on Tuesday)
“We do this out of passion for our country and our duty to our culture, but then there’s also a body that is supposed to protect these precious areas,” Lane told the ABC.
‘I don’t think they have a clue, they just get instructions from Canberra.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Australian Border Force for comment.
The interception came a week after Tony Burke replaced Clare O’Neil as Home Secretary.