<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Six men from Central and South America are facing the potential of life in prison for allegedly planning to import a tonne of cocaine into Australia on a boat that was stopped in French Polynesia.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police allege the boat, called the MV Raider, was modified so that it had three separate hiding places for drugs and other illegal goods specially built in to evade detection from authorities while at sea.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It was custom-made purely for the importation of illicit commodities," Commander Brett James of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said of the boat.</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>FINANCE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/interest-rates-australia-westpac-predicts-rate-rises-us-israel-iran-war-fuel-crisis-australia/dc7f0d02-06b7-438d-b024-28850e6346ee" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Millions of Aussies to suffer further after major bank's fresh rates warning</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They were very sophisticated and designed to avoid law enforcement detection."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Authorities in French Polynesia allegedly stopped the 40-metre boat, which had set off from Central America, in January and removed 4.8 tonnes of cocaine.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It is alleged the boat was planning to travel to Australia and rendezvous with an Australia-based crew off the coast of NSW.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-mv-raider-ship-alleged-cocaine-import/3698d8ab-2256-466b-948c-80fecdd5530a" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, police intercepted the MV Raider about 180 nautical miles off the coast late last month, where the crew was told they would not be granted entry into Australia.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/dezi-freeman-live-updates-porepunkah-police-shootings-latest-news-headlines/c81f2d34-62f7-4fa2-b516-801af339aed3" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Dezi Freeman was 'armed, wrapped in blanket' when shot</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>On March 12, the ship's crew placed a distress call claiming it had mechanical issues and was low on food and water.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It was escorted the next day into Sydney Harbour, where Australian Federal Police raided the boat, while border force officers detained the men as unlawful arrivals and took them to Villawood Detention Centre.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It was during the search that police found the specially built holds, which are suspected to have previously held about six tonnes of cocaine.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While cocaine wasn't found on the ship, police seized a number of items, including electronic devices, that they claim prove the group was attempting to import a tonne of cocaine into Australia.</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/police-likely-believed-dezi-freeman-was-dead-until-tipoff-former-police-negotiator-says/30a5f73f-8fc4-43fe-8938-a51e9a7f173d" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Police likely believed Dezi Freeman was dead before tip-off, former police negotiator says</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Last weekend, police arrested and charged six crew members, five from Honduras and one from Ecuador, with conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if the men are found guilty.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The men faced court today, where they didn't apply for bail.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ship has been moored in Birchgrove since its arrival into Sydney, but will now be seized by the AFP.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></strong></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a 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