The joint police operation also involving the Australian Federal Police (AFP), the Australian Crime Commission, Customs and Vietnamese authorities, centred on four alleged drug syndicates ferrying heroin concealed internally by drug couriers into Victoria and NSW from Vietnam.
The eight-month operation codenamed Rattlesnake-Joinery involved more than 150 officers and resulted in the arrest of eight people - five in Melbourne and three in Sydney - early on Friday.
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Investigators seized more $100,000 in cash and casino chips, property and jewellery, including a diamond ring worth $34,500.
In Melbourne, four of the five people arrested, a 31-year-old Wantirna woman, a 37-year-old Nunawading man, a 42-year-old man from Thomastown and a 38-year-old Thomastown woman appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court charged with trafficking a border-controlled drug.
A 51-year-old Nunawading woman was released pending summons.
Two Cabramatta men aged 28 and 30 appeared in Liverpool Magistrates' Court charged with conspiracy to import a marketable quantity of drugs, and a 40-year-old Mount Pritchard woman was charged with trafficking a controlled drug.
The result is the second phase of taking down a drug ring that was first disrupted in February by police in Melbourne when seven women were arrested in an alleged "all girl heroin syndicate" trafficking the drug internally from Vietnam.
Victoria Police Drug Task Force officer-in-charge Detective Inspector David Jones said police would continue to destroy organised crime networks and restrain the proceeds of crime.
"As a result of this operation we believe we have been able to disrupt the activities of significant drug and organised crime syndicates operating internationally," Det Insp Jones said.
"As part of this operation investigators have already confiscated more than $8 million worth of heroin off Australia's streets."
He said the drugs seized equated to about 161,000 deals.
Investigations into the ring are ongoing.
AFP Coordinator Serious and Organised Crime Detective Superintendent Des Appleby said drug couriers risked death or serious injury by attempting to conceal drugs inside their body.
"Couriers are known to have swallowed or concealed drugs internally and the materials used to wrap the package have ruptured, leaked or disintegrated inside their body - leading to an extremely high risk of death," he said.
Penalties for drug trafficking in Australia attract up to 25 years in jail and/or a $550,000 fine.
