Two Nigerian nationals have been charged over the alleged importation of more than 40 kilograms of methamphetamine, brought into Australia concealed inside bar fridges and Jackie Chan-branded DVD players.

Chibuike Anyasor, 33, and Joe Iwuchukwu Odemegwo, 51, were arrested on Thursday afternoon by officers from Taskforce Icarus, a joint operation between the AFP, Border Force and Victoria Police tackling the importation of drugs by post and other methods.

The pair appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court today.

Ansayor, described by police as a key figure in the drug importation syndicate, was charged with importing and attempting to possess methamphetamine.

Odemegwo was charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of methamphetamine. If found guilty they face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

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The court heard that Anyasor and Odemegwo were under investigation for six months and that police had obtained extensive telephone intercepts during that time.

Many of the intercepted calls were all in the Igbo language, predominantly spoken by people in the south-east of Nigeria.

The court was told there were only two accredited Igbo translators in Australia and that both of them were living in Adelaide, on students visas, which meant they could only work for 20 hours a week.

AFP Deputy Commissioner Operations Leanne Close said offenders who imported methamphetamine into Australia would face the full force of the law.

"Law enforcement and border protection agencies will continue to work together to target organised crime syndicates who seek to compromise our communities with this dangerous and insidious drug," Deputy Commissioner Close said.

"These arrests are a significant disruption to this syndicate. Our capabilities to detect and disrupt organised crime continue to grow, and we will not slow our efforts to remove this scourge from our streets."

The two men were remanded into custody until a committal mention on December 11.