A man accused of people smuggling has been arrested after being extradited from Germany in a major international sting.
The 42-year-old man was officially arrested in Perth on Thursday and charged with people smuggling offences that could see him jailed for as long as 20 years.
It's alleged he was involved in organising a boat carrying 56 potential illegal immigrants from Indonesia to Australia in September 2010.
Justice Minister Michael Keenan said it was a "significant milestone" in a three-and-a-half-year operation spearheaded by the Australian Federal Police and international agencies.
"The message to those who are suspected of participating in this evil crime is clear," he said in a statement on Friday.
"Australian law enforcement will ensure they are tracked down to face the full force of our laws."
The man allegedly left Perth for Malaysia in early 2010, and three years later was believed to be in Indonesia when Interpol issued a notice for his arrest.
In January, he was apprehended by German police at a railway station in Stuttgart, before the federal government approved his extradition to Australia.
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