Employees of Australia's biggest airport baggage and cargo contractor have allegedly been working with a cell of corrupt customs officers to smuggle millions of dollars worth of drugs through Sydney Airport.

Fairfax Media can reveal that David Harb, a former Sydney Airport baggage handler from global cargo handling giant Menzies Aviation Services, was arrested on Tuesday along with two allegedly corrupt customs officers. At least one other Menzies employee is under scrutiny.

It is alleged customs officers conspired with a baggage handler to import the drugs.

A total of four customs officers and one quarantine inspection service official are among the 17 people so far arrested by Operation Marca, a two-year federal anti-corruption and organised crime probe into suspected drug trafficking at Sydney Airport's international terminal.

Members of the cell are suspected to have been involved in multiple importations worth tens of millions of dollars since 2009.