A series of raids nationwide by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) has netted several key people suspected of involvement in people smuggling in Australia and overseas.

The arrests of five men - from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran - during series of dawn raid across Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and New South Wales came after a 12-month operation involving more than 100 officers, the AFP's national operations manager, Assistant Commissioner Steve Lancaster, told a news conference this morning.

Mr Lancaster says the arrests involved "key players" in several major offshore smuggling syndicates who were "actively involved" in recruiting and financing people smuggling to Australia.

Those arrested had allegedly been involved in planning and facilitating the arrival of up to 132 vessels bound for Australia, he said.

Since this morning's arrests, Barkat Ali Wahide, 31, appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court facing two charges of facilitating the arrival in Australia of asylum seekers between January and May last year.

He was not required to plead to the charges and appeared without a lawyer.

Wahide told the court in broken English that he has been in immigration detention for the past 17 months and was granted bail on the condition that he be released into the custody of the immigration department.

He is due back in court late next month.

Syed Shahid-Ali, 37, who was being detained at the Inverbrackie Immigration Detention Centre in the Adelaide Hills, appeared at the Adelaide Magistrates Court.

He is charged with two counts of people smuggling and one of dealing with the proceeds of crime and was released on bail.

Hussain Chaman-Ali, 34, appeared at the same court and also faces two counts of people smuggling but did not apply for bail.

Both men are due back at the court in November.

The two other men were also due in court on Thursday. They all face up to 10 years in prison and a $110,000 fine if convicted.

Investigation likely to lead to more arrests

Operation Delfinium, which received hundreds of tip-offs from the community, would likely lead to more arrests and should serve as a warning to those involved in people smuggling, Mr Lancaster added.

"There are two clear messages here that I would like to come out today: one from a disruption perspective, today's actions will have an impact," Mr Lancaster said.

"It will impact on those that are involved in those syndicates, no doubt, and [the arrests] will guarantee there will be further arrests made.

"From a deterrence perspective, this is not the end. If you are involved or you were involved in people smuggling, with the current intelligence we held and with intelligence that we have received from over 200 members of the community, it is likely that if you are a significant people smuggling organiser that you are likely to be known by us."

Mr Lancaster said the AFP operation was linked to seven separate criminal investigations targeting people smuggling syndicates in Australia and overseas and had involved all states and territories except Tasmania.

Today's raids had been planned for several months, he said.

The arrests brought the total number of alleged people smuggling organisers charged by the AFP in Australia since 2009 to 26, he said.

He urged members of the community to alert the authorities if they had any information on people smugglers.

"This effort remains ongoing. I sincerely appeal to all members of the community if you have any information please contact us," he said.