Three people are in immigration detention following joint operations at several suspected illegal brothels in Brisbane, the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) said today. Acting on community information, officers from the department, in conjunction with the Australian Federal Police and the Queensland Police Service, visited three suspected illegal brothels in Brisbane. This resulted in the location of two Thai women and a Thai man who were unlawful non-citizens working illegally in the sex industry. All three are now in immigration detention and arrangements are being made for their removal from Australia as required by law. DIMIA's role in the operation was to ascertain the immigration status of the people working in the suspected brothels. People in Brisbane with information on unlawful non-citizens or people working illegally should call the Department's compliance office in Brisbane on (07) 3360 5044. Where people are located working in the sex industry they are interviewed to determine whether there are any indicators of people trafficking. If any indicators are identified the matter is immediately referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in accordance with agreed protocols. The three people were interviewed as part of the normal process and there were no indications of people trafficking in this instance. DIMIA officers, often with assistance from state police, make regular visits to workplaces in many parts of Australia, including restaurants, farms, shops, offices, factories and brothels, in an effort to detect and locate people who are in the country illegally or who are working illegally. DIMIA may also issue warning notices to employers or labour suppliers who are found to have employed illegal workers. In the 2002-03 financial year the Department located 21,569 people who had overstayed their visas or breached their visa conditions - an increase of more than 20 percent over the 2001-02 financial year when the department located 17,307 overstayers and people breaching visas conditions around Australia.