Cocaine smugglers busted in Sydney

About 37kg of cocaine has been found stashed inside checked-in bags which four Canadians and an American were allegedly trying to bring into Australia as part of a drug operation run by an international crime syndicate.

The group were caught after arriving at Sydney on a flight from Los Angeles on Tuesday, with 81 packages of drugs allegedly hidden in the lining of eight pieces of luggage, police said.

The accused drug smugglers are in custody and are expected to apply for bail when they front Sydney's Central Local Court on January 6.

AFP airport commander Sharon Cowden said the five passengers could face up to life imprisonment over the alleged attempted import.

A day later about 71kg of cocaine, worth an estimated $25 million, was found inside a hydraulic press sent to Australia from Panama.

Three Sydney men have been charged with drug importation offences, following raids at five properties across the city after the drugs were found by Border Force officers on Wednesday.