Police in East Timor have detained 16 Sri Lankans and four Indonesians as they prepared to sail for Australia in an illegal boat.
Director of immigration Jose da Costa said on Monday that 20 foreigners were trying to reach Australia with false documents when they were stopped in the Betano area on the south coast.
They were being questioned at a Dili police command post.
Local media report they were heading for Australia in search of jobs.
