<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Nine men have been charged in a multi-agency operation investigating an alleged syndicate behind the importation of tonnes of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/drugs" rel="" target="" title="illicit drugs"><span>illicit drugs</span></a><span> into </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/victoria" rel="" target="" title="Victoria"><span>Victoria</span></a><span> and the trafficking across the country.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ten-month investigation has seen nine alleged offenders, aged between 31 and 72, charged with a range of offences relating to the alleged conspiracy of interstate drug trafficking.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Seven of the men are now facing a maximum penalty of life </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/prison" rel="" target="" title="imprisonment"><span>imprisonment</span></a><span> if found guilty.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/five-ways-the-fuel-crisis-is-about-to-hit-home/f052e047-39b5-4494-ba9c-fea253b7eeba" rel="" target="" title="Five ways the fuel crisis is about to hit home"><strong><span>Five ways the fuel crisis is about to hit home</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The operation began in May last year after four crew members were rescued offshore following the sinking of a commercial trawler off Port Albert in Victoria.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The crew's movements were monitored following suspicions about why the vessel was out at sea in poor weather without the equipment usually used for commercial </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/fishing" rel="" target="" title="fishing"><span>fishing</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>For months after the incident, police kept close watch on multiple local boats they suspected were linked to a drug importation syndicate.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/victoria-news-multiple-men-charged-following-alleged-conspiracy-to-import-multiple-tonnes-of-drugs-into-victoria/e1d7a6eb-14f7-48bc-babb-e07d762c7f32" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Authorities will allege the syndicate unsuccessfully made multiple attempts to travel in the Bass Strait so they could launch "daughter vessels" to receive large quantities of drugs from a "mother ship" passing through Australian waters.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Multiple search warrants were executed over the past month across suburbs in Victoria, including Morwell, Glenroy, Cranbourne, Cranbourne West, Cranbourne South and Greenvale.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A warrant was also executed in St Clair, a suburb in </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/sydney" rel="" target="" title="Sydney's"><span>Sydney's</span></a><span> west.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Following the searches, eight men were arrested in Victoria, and one man was arrested in Sydney.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/police" rel="" target="" title="Police"><span>Police</span></a><span> charged seven of the men for their alleged roles in conspiracy to import drugs into the country, while two were charged for their alleged involvement in drug activity.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Four of the men were also charged in relation to the seizure of 30kg of methamphetamine in Perth on August 11 last year and the confiscation of 41kg of cocaine by Victorian police just two days later.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/dezi-freeman-sister-speaks-out-after-fugitive-killed-by-police/feeddbc0-6d8f-42ff-b368-1aaed025ad90" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Dezi Freeman's sister 'ashamed and angry' of police killer's actions</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police will allege these two incidents are tied to the syndicate, which would allegedly exploit ties to the trucking industry to move illicit drugs interstate.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police have not ruled out further arrests as they continue to investigate the international syndicate behind an alleged mothership attempting to drop illicit cargo into Australian waters.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Organised criminals are sending their business to our shores because of the insatiable Australian demand for illicit commodities and the community's willingness to pay top dollar for them," AFP Detective Superintendent Ray Imbriano said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></strong></em><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by 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