Two Thai prostitutes working in Australia's Northern Territory had their legs bound before being thrown into a crocodile-infested river where they drowned, police said today.
The two women, aged 27 and 58, were found yesterday by tourists on a crocodile cruise of the Adelaide River outside the tropical city of Darwin.
Police said they believed the women, who were last seen on Monday, had been in the river only a few days as their bodies were intact and there was no evidence of trauma.
Police had identified one body as Phuangsri Kroksamrang (58) and are confident the other is Somjai Insamnan (27).
"The deceased were female prostitutes who were long-time residents of the Northern Territory," said Det Supt Bert Hofer.
"Following preliminary post mortem results . . . the two women found floating in the Adelaide River died as a result of drowning," he said. "At this stage post mortem results are unable to determine whether the two women had been sexually assaulted prior to their death."
Police had set up a checkpoint on the Adelaide River Bridge and were questioning motorists whether they had seen suspicious activity in recent days.