Michael Pirrello, 33, and Francesco Pirrello, 40, were arrested in Ulladulla last December as part of an Australian Federal Police operation which was the biggest cocaine bust in Australian history.

They’re charged with conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs – the maximum penalty for which is life imprisonment.

Both appeared in Sydney's Central Local Court on Wednesday before Magistrate Les Mabbutt.

Michael Pirrello, of Ulladulla, bail was continued to reappear again on July 5, while Francesco Pirrello, of Milton, did not apply for bail which was formally refused and he will also reappear on July 5.

Joseph Pirrello, 63, apparently no relation to the two South Coast men, was also arrested in Sydney on Christmas Day.

Joseph Pirrello was formerly a managing director of Seafish Tasmania when the company brought the controversial super trawler Abel Tasman (later named Magiris) to Australia in 2012.

He faces three charges of conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs and supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.

He also did not apply for bail before Magistrate Mabbutt in Sydney on Wednesday which was refused. He will also reappear on July 5.

Australian Federal Police acting Assistant Commissioner Chris Sheehan said the seizure of 500kg of cocaine in Sydney, 600kg of the drug in Tahiti and 32kg of heroin in Fiji made it the largest drug bust of its kind in Australia.

Police evidence stated all the drugs originated in South America before being transferred across the South Pacific by ship.

Several of the accused were arrested on Christmas Day as they docked the vessel Dalrymple. It's alleged the boat was used to ferry drugs between NSW ports and a larger ship stationed out at sea that held drugs smuggled from Chile.

Operation Okesi, comprising officers from NSW Police, Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force, started over two years after police received a "thread" of information.

Since then, five alleged importations by the syndicate have been thwarted.

It includes the 2014 seizure of 32kg of heroin in Fiji and 606kg of cocaine in Tahiti in March.  

On Christmas night, officers watched the crew launch a dinghy which allegedly travelled to Parsley Bay at Brooklyn and allegedly met with two other men.

All three were arrested and 500kg of cocaine seized.  Several other men were arrested on board the Dalrymple as it docked on Christmas night.

Authorities valued the total amount of cocaine at $360 million.

Also arrested were former Eastern Suburbs Roosters player John Roland Boyd Tobin, Bondi entrepreneur Darren John Mohr, maritime worker Reuben John Dawe, Simon Peter Spero, 56, Graham Toa Toa, 42, Stuart Ayrton, 54, Jonathan Cooper, 29, Richard Lipton, 37, Frank D'Agostino, 54, and Benjamin Sara, 31.