A South Australian man has been charged with possessing a child-like sex doll — the first person to be charged in the state for the offence under new laws targeting child abuse-related offences.

Key points: The 30-year-old is accused of buying the doll from China in December 2018

The 30-year-old is accused of buying the doll from China in December 2018 Police searched his home on Tuesday and seized a computer, a child-like sex doll plus his mobile phone and a bank card

Police searched his home on Tuesday and seized a computer, a child-like sex doll plus his mobile phone and a bank card South Australia passed legislation to ban the dolls last year

The man, 30, was charged on January 14 and faces a 15-year jail term if convicted of possessing the anatomically-correct doll.

He had also allegedly purchased a variety of children's clothing, including school uniforms, swimwear and children's underwear, police said.

The new offence came into force on September 20, 2019 after being passed by Federal Parliament, while similar state-based laws were discussed in South Australia last year.

South Australian authorities launched an investigation in November after receiving information from New South Wales Police and AUSTRAC (Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre), with support from PayPal Australia.

Investigators searched the man's home in South Australia's south-east on Tuesday, seizing the child-like doll, children's clothing, a computer, plus his mobile phone and a bank card.

Police will allege child abuse material was stored on the computer.

Police said the man allegedly bought the doll from a seller based in China in December 2018.

His charges include one count of possessing a child-like sex doll and one count of possessing child abuse material.

The man was released on bail and is expected to face Naracoorte Magistrates Court on March 27.

Dolls 'objectify children as sexual beings'

Research by the Australian Institute of Criminology found that use of these dolls may lead to an escalation in child sex offences.

AFP Acting Commander South Australia Gail McClure said the dolls objectified children as sexual beings and could desensitise anyone who used them to the physical, emotional and psychological harm caused by sexual abuse.

"Some dolls are even robotic and designed to respond positively to the abuse," she said.

"The Australian Federal Police does not condone any form of child exploitation, or activity of any kind that reinforces the sexualisation of children.

"This includes sexual gratification activity using items depicting children — these anatomically correct dolls are legally considered child exploitation material.

"This arrest highlights the collaborative work undertaken by the AFP and its partners to protect children and identify and prosecute anyone who seeks to exploit and harm them."