People smuggling

Crocodile swamp search a 'people smuggling' case

Authorities have detained 15 people and think more are hiding in mangroves north of Cairns, say police.

The boat, believed to be from Vietnam, is the first people-smuggling vessel to make it to Australia "in more than 1,400 days", according to Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.

Authorities are continuing a search.

They did not say how many people were aboard when the boat ran aground near Daintree on Sunday, nor if any have plans to appeal for asylum.

Local mayor Julia Leu told ABC that they were "putting themselves at risk in known crocodile habitat".

Suspect extradited for people smuggling 'is wrong man'

Prosecutors believe Mered Medhanie, known as The General, is at the heart of the operation to smuggle migrants from Africa to Europe.

An Eritrean man authorities say is Mr Mered was held in Sudan in May and flown to Rome on Tuesday.

But the man's friends told the BBC there had been a case of mistaken identity and he was innocent.

He was named by friends as Mered Tesfamariam.

A spokesman for Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA), that was involved in the operation, told the Press Association they were "liaising with our partners".