Police say they have put a significant dent in a group that has been sending Australians to fight on the frontlines of Syria's civil war.
A four-month investigation led to police pouncing on the group on Tuesday morning with simultaneous raids in various Sydney suburbs.
A 39-year-old man from St Helen's Park and a 23-year-old from Lidcombe have been charged and will appear in court later on Tuesday.
Listen: Two arrested over alleged plans to fight in Syria, Amanda Cavill reports
Police allege the older man organised travel and arranged overseas contacts for six Australians to fight in Syria.
This allegedly included fighting with the terrorist group Jabhat al-Nusra and affiliates of al-Qaeda.
NSW commissioner of special operations Catherine Burn told reporters in Sydney the arrests are notable.
"We have identified who we believe is the principal person involved in the facilitation method of sending people over to Syria to engage in the conflict," she said.
"That puts a significant dent into this particular network."
Australian Federal Police deputy commissioner of national security Peter Drennan said the men were not involved in any terrorism threat against Australia.
But he said people travelling to Syria to fight were engaging in illegal activity and could find themselves associating with terrorists.
While police are confident they have dismantled this particular syndicate, he said they expected further arrests and would continue
to investigate.
