Two Norwegian nationals charged with allegedly trying to retrieve a commercial quantity of cocaine from Newcastle harbour this week will remain in custody while a brief of evidence is prepared to be served against them.
Johan-Martinius Halvorsen, 22, and Jon Birger Karlsen, 51, were charged by the Australian Federal Police with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug on Wednesday after a bust in the Honeysuckle precinct.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The men applied for conditional release on Thursday but when the case was mentioned again at Newcastle courthouse on Friday, neither made a bail application.
Mr Halvorsen did not appear in court but Mr Karlsen requested to be brought up on the video-link screen from custody in Sydney, while Magistrate Robert Stone explained the process of what was to come.
Both men will face court again on March 29.
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