THE Sea Shepherd fleet is reportedly tipped to be raided by Australian Federal Police as it returns to Australian waters this week.

Anti-whaling activists tailed Japanese hunting boats until they appeared to head for home on the weekend.

Australian University professor Donald Rothwell told The Mercury that Japan would likely request the raid as a result of the clashes between activists and the Japanese in waters which were well out of Australia's whale sanctuary.

The fleet is expected back in Hobart in coming days.

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