BY OLIVIA DILLON
Two men have been charged over an alleged attempt to retrieve cocaine off a ship in the Port of Newcastle.
Police allege the two Norwegian nationals, Johan-Martinius Halversen and Jon Birger Karlsen, were seen in the water at the Port at around 4am on Wednesday wearing scuba diving gear.
It's believed they were attempting to retrieve 82kgs of cocaine off a visiting ship.
They were arrested at Honeysuckle that afternoon by organised crime squad detectives and federal police.
Newcastle Bail Court heard yesterday, the pair were a part of a sophisticated international crime syndicate, which both men deny.
They are facing a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, and will face local court today.
