A Colombian man will remain behind bars after allegedly controlling a group of migrants and, on several occasions, locking them inside cupboards at his Adelaide home.
Christian Diaz Suarez, 38, is accused over an operation he allegedly ran from Seaford, Magill and Kilburn, as well as two New South Wales locations, between 2016 and earlier this year.
He appeared at Adelaide Magistrates Court today, where he did not apply for bail.
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Investigations first began when the Australian Federal Police received a report earlier this year that Suarez was allegedly subjecting a small group of people from Venezuela to “ongoing cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment”.
Those people were allegedly members of a youth group he formerly led in Venezuela.
Suarez allegedly helped them migrate to Australia in 2015 with another group arriving the following year.
But after they arrived, he allegedly took control of their passports and used that to maintain control, abuse and servitude.
Federal police alleged he had daily control of his victims by tracking their movements, restricting daily activity, scheduling compulsory daily chores, controlling earnings and forcing victims to pay off debts that were unreasonably enforced.
On several occasions, Suarez allegedly locked them out of the group home and inside cupboards for multiple days.
He also allegedly isolated the group from friends and family and restricted or oversaw messages and communication with their loved ones.
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Yesterday, federal police stormed his home and arrested the 38-year-old. Officers also seized electronic devices and documentation at the home.
Suarez was charged with causing debt bondage (aggravated), cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and causing a person to enter into or remain in servitude (aggravated), cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
It’s a case his lawyer has admitted is complex.
“There’s no application for bail today, we’ll assess the evidence and obtain some instructions from there,” his lawyer said.
When asked if Suarez is expected to apply for bail soon, his lawyer replied “potentially so”.
Suarez is facing a combined maximum penalty of 27 years in prison and will return to court in December.