Beijing: Chinese authorities have revealed how police in Guangdong uncovered a drug ring operating between China and Australia in a five-month long investigation that led to the seizure of a $100 million ice haul.

As the Turnbull government argues that the failure to ratify a controversial extradition treaty with China may jeopardise future cooperation on drug smuggling, Chinese media reported the extent of the Chinese investigations that led to the three arrests in Australia announced on Monday.

China and Australia cooperated on the operation that led to the ice bust this week.

It appears the announcement by Australian police of the drug bust came after Chinese police were successful in arresting the two alleged ringleaders in Dongguan, a city in southern Guangdong province.

The director of drug enforcement at Guangdong's Public Security Bureau, Deng Jianwei, said Guangdong police noticed in November that the gang, led by a Hong Kong man, was trying to move the drugs from mainland China to Australia.