Australia charges Indonesians for human smuggling

Canberra: Two Indonesians were charged on Friday with human smuggling after they were caught ferrying 14 refugees on their boat, Australian police said.

The 58-year-old captain and a crew member were caught near the Timor Sea on October 6 with 14 mostly Afghan asylum seekers on board their boat.

"It will be alleged in court that the captain and crew member were part of an attempted people-smuggling venture that originated in Indonesia," police said in a statement.

The pair were to appear in a Perth court on Monday. If found guilty they face a maximum jail sentence of 20 years.