Two Korean men who hauled $10 million worth of methamphetamine across the country hidden inside a subwoofer in a hire car have each been sentenced to up to 12 years in jail.

Key points: In 2017, they hired a car from Perth Airport and hid 1,000 kilograms of ice inside

In 2017, they hired a car from Perth Airport and hid 1,000 kilograms of ice inside They were caught after stopping for petrol in SA's far west

They were caught after stopping for petrol in SA's far west The judge was highly critical of the men, saying they had shown "no contrition"

Chae Tok Koo, 31, and Youngmin Bae, 29, were found guilty of trafficking 10 kilograms of pure ice from Perth through South Australia.

South Australia's District Court heard that, in August 2017, the two men flew from Sydney to Perth with tickets they had purchased the day before.

Judge Simon Stratton said that, a week later, they hired the vehicle from Perth Airport with the intention of returning it to Melbourne Airport eight days later.

On the same day, they bought a subwoofer speaker from an automotive store for $171 before they left Perth.

Judge Stratton said the men also bought two fishing rods "to give the appearance of legitimacy" before driving more than 1,000 kilometres to Caiguna in Western Australia.

They were arrested on September 2, 2017, at the Nundroo roadhouse, near Ceduna in South Australia's far west, where they had stopped for petrol en route to Port Augusta.

Police officers searched the vehicle and found six plastic bags containing ice inside the subwoofer speaker, along with four mobile phones and more than $2,000 in cash.

In sentencing the two men to 12 years in jail, Judge Stratton said the offending was "extremely serious", with the street value of the drugs worth more than $10 million and enough for about 100,000 doses.

"The District Court regrettably sees this harm writ large every week, every month and every year," Judge Stratton said.

"[It] sees it in innumerable psychological and psychiatric reports … which document the personal destruction of the methamphetamine users' lives.

"The drug causes carnage in our society, both for the addicted user and for the families and friends … in terms of domestic violence, child neglect and theft."

Pair shows 'no contrition or remorse'

Judge Stratton said the quantity of the "notoriously harmful drug" being trafficked had the "potential to massively harm the community".

"You've shown no contrition or remorse, you were actively and knowingly involved," he said.

Chae Tok Koo, who was awaiting permanent residency at the time of his arrest, received a non-parole period of seven years, backdated to September 2, 2017, when he was arrested and taken into custody.

Youngmin Bae, who is in Australia on a student visa, was handed a shorter non-parole period of six years due to his age, language difficulties and lack of family support in Australia.

Judge Stratton said the men had not assisted the police with their investigation or disclosed who else was involved in the drug syndicate.

"The court heard evidence that syndicates of the kind that you were likely to have been involved with utilise people in your role as a firewall to protect others and indeed you have ably performed that role," he said.

"There is no suggestion … that either of you were addicted to the drug … or in any particular dire financial need that might explain or excuse your actions.

"You were both motivated simply by financial gain."

The court heard both men are likely to face deportation.