Three men face life imprisonment for allegedly attempting to smuggle $101 million worth of crystal methamphetamine into Australia.
Chinese authorities tipped off their Australian counterparts before seizing 100kg of the drug hidden inside the floor of a shipping container.
The container, which was also being used to send two tonnes of steel, was then shipped to Australian law enforcement agencies before being forwarded to an address in Revesby, in Sydney's southwest.
AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Luke Needham said a 22-year-old Fijian man who accepted the delivery was arrested on February 24.
"Safe to say he was very surprised," Det Needham told reporters in Sydney on Monday.
Two other men - a 38-year-old Australian and a 42-year-old from Hong Kong - were also arrested that day.
Two other men were arrested in China's Guangdong Province "in mid-March", Det Needham said.
He would not say when the investigation began, but referred to it as "long and ongoing".
Those arrested in Australia have already faced court and will reappear in Sydney's Central Local Court on April 26.
All three men have been charged with attempting to import and possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.
Asked about the delay between the arrests and the release of the information, Det Needham cited "ongoing inquiries" and said the two men had "only just" been arrested in China.
Det Needham denied the announcement was delayed until after the departure of the Chinese Premier, Li Keqiang, who had been visiting Australia until Sunday.
He emphasised the high level of co-operation between Chinese and Australian law enforcement bodies.
"It can't be underestimated, the intelligence-sharing," Detective Needham said.
Police have not ruled out conducting further search warrants in Australia.
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