Three Australian men are accused of buying child-like sex dolls from China - and they face 15 years behind bars if convicted
- Police arrested three men for allegedly possessing child sex dolls last week
- Two men in Grafton were taken into custody and one from Turramurra in Sydney
- Detectives tracked the movement of sex dolls imported from China and Japan
Three men are facing the prospect of 15 years in jail after allegedly buying sex dolls depicting children.
The men were arrested over two days in Grafton, NSW, and Turramurra in Sydney after Australian Border Force allegedly intercepted sex dolls being imported into the country in March and April.
A 62-year-old was arrested in Grafton on Thursday after being accused of importing one of the dolls from China, with police allegedly finding two other dolls and children's clothing at his home.
Police arrest one of the three men (pictured) after searching his home and allegedly finding a child sex doll in NSW
Possessing one of the child sex dolls (pictured) can incur punishment of 15 years in jail
He was refused bail via video link in Lismore Local Court on Friday.
Police arrested a 42-year-old man on Thursday in his home in Turramurra where they allegedly found a child sex-doll from Japan and another doll.
He appeared in Parramatta Local Court on Friday and was also charged with possessing cannabis.
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A 37-year-old in Grafton was arrested for allegedly possessing a child-like doll and was scheduled to appear before Lismore Local Court on Saturday.
Each man was charged with possessing and illegally importing a child-like sex doll and child abuse charges, though police do not believe the arrests are connected to each other.
Possessing a childlike sex doll can incur a punishment of 15 years imprisonment in New South Wales.
A collection of dolls and clothing seized by police. Detectives do not believe the three arrests made between Turramurra and Grafton were connected
'These dolls sexualise children, they are not harmless and do not prevent people from offending in the future,' AFP Assistant Commissioner Lesa Gale said in a media release.
'Child-like sex dolls can desensitise people who use them to the physical, emotional and psychological harm caused by sexual abuse.
'Research by the Australian Institute of Criminology suggests that use of the dolls may lead to an escalation in child sex offences – from viewing online child abuse material to contact sexual offending.'
Australian Border Force Regional Commander for NSW Danielle Yannopoulos said the force will continue to track child sex dolls entering the country.
'The ABF is committed to detecting these dolls at the border and investigating and prosecuting those who seek to import this sickening material into our community,' she said.
Police remove a child sex doll from a property after raids on three homes in Turramurra and Grafton last week
