Three Melbourne men arrested as police seize $200m of ice from China - The Australian

ABOUT $200 million worth of the drug ice has been seized and three Melbourne men arrested after the drug was discovered concealed in the tyres of a truck that had been shipped from China.

A raid on a factory in Laverton, in Melbourne's west, also turned up $80,000 in cash, which was seized along with mobile phones and hard drives.

A 59-year-old Altona Meadows man, a 29-year-old Point Cook man and a 25-year-old Point Cook man have been arrested as a result of the joint operation.

Police say the medium-sized truck, which originated in Shanghai, was destined for Melbourne.

Seven other Melbourne properties were also raided.

Police will allege two of the men arrested were recently employed as dock workers, one of whom had been suspended.

Australian Federal Police Melbourne office manager Commander Scott Lee said because of the men's waterfront connections, it was important to work with waterfront taskforces in Brisbane and Sydney to avoid detection.

"We would allege, in terms of the importation, given their linkages onto the waterfront, if our interest had originated here in Victoria, they would have become aware of police involvement," Mr Lee said.

Australian Customs and Border Protection Service regional director Victoria Graham Krisohos said the truck was examined following intelligence from partner agencies.

"The concealment did show up on X-ray but what was unusual about the truck was when you just looked at it, nothing," Mr Krisohos said.

"The concealments are quite sophisticated and do require expertise and effort to actually uncover the substance, well concealed within the tyres."

The 59-year-old Altona Meadows man and the 29-year-old Point Cook man were charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug and attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug suspected of having been unlawfully imported.

The 25-year-old Point Cook man was charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug suspected of having been unlawfully imported.

The offences carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

AAP