AFP recorded boat chats in cocaine case

Hours of noisy audio captured on a boat are being transcribed by Australian Federal Police (AFP), compiling the case against six men accused of trying to smuggle $60 million worth of cocaine into Australia.

The men allegedly plotted to collect 186kg of cocaine from a "mothership" controlled by a Chinese syndicate and stationed between Australia and New Zealand.

But the alleged mission was plagued by boat troubles and seasickness off Victoria's coast.

For the first voyage three of the men allegedly sailed a damaged boat that would not stay afloat, while the second effort was abandoned because of seasickness and rough seas.

The 50-metre mothership known as KM8 had been under surveillance for about a year before it was intercepted and raided near Hobart in December 2016.

Federal agents on Monday spoke in court of how they planted a listening device on one of the boats to capture conversations between the accused.

But most of the audio is drowned out by the sound of the boat's engine and what can be heard is hard to make out clearly, the Victorian Supreme Court heard.

Two of the accused, Youssif Tawfik and Moshey Youkhana, are seeking bail.

But AFP agent Paul Wheeler opposed their release, saying Tawfik was a flight risk.

He said Tawfik had used a fake ID before and may try to flee the country on a false passport if released on bail.

Justice Mark Weinberg's bail decision is expected to be handed down later this week.

The other co-accused are Omer Tok, Christopher Peroulis, Mohamed Khaddour and Bill Triantafilopoulous, and all are charged with attempting to import a commercial quantity of cocaine.