A fresh and devastating blow is heading for struggling households with the price of food expected to spike even further in coming weeks.

Retailers are now having to pass on the massive costs they've been absorbing, in the weeks since the Middle East war began. 

Fresh everyday food staples are about to cost more as a result of the fuel crisis.

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Independent supermarket Ritchies is among those sounding the alarm.

Meat, fruit and vegetables are all expected to cost 20 per cent more and in as little as three weeks.

NSW Farmers bosses say members are being hit.

"Particularly the ones that have further to travel like onions and lemons which are already incurring a $1 per kilometre additional transport levy for those trucks bringing that produce to the distribution centres to get to consumers at the supermarkets," Xavier Martin, NSW farmers president said.

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The price of home brand milk is also expected to climb, with dairy farmers asking supermarkets to increase prices by 30 cents per litre as processors pay through the nose to combat high diesel and fertiliser shortages.

As for everything else, retailers have been absorbing exploding transport costs but now need to pass that onto shoppers.

Some economists say a 20 per cent price hike for fresh food is just the beginning with even further increases anticipated unless the war in the Middle East ends.

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"Even if it ended today where has been impacts on supply chains that will be with us for weeks and months ahead," Energy Minster Chris Bowen said.

New data from the UN says global wheat prices have already risen by 4.3 per cent last month, with farmers planting less because of the challenges they are facing.

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Two members of a prominent horse racing family and a former jockey are among nine people arrested over a plot to smuggle cocaine worth a billion dollars into Victoria.

Federal Police swooped after a boat believed to be involved in the importation scheme sank in Bass Strait.

Shots show a man from Glenroy in Melbourne man handcuffed and walked to an unmarked police car.

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Another from Morwell in regional Victoria was marched through the AFP loading bay.

They're two of nine men charged over plots to allegedly smuggle more than a billion dollars worth of cocaine into Victoria using fishing boats.

Among those arrested are prominent horse racing figures: trainer Grant Dalziel, his son Peter and former jockey Brian Park.

Former AFP Detective Supt David Craig claimed it was a "very sophisticated organisation".

"What I think makes it striking about this is, that the alleged use of trusted high profile figures from the racing industry, allegedly, and it shows that organised crime can embed itself, behind any respectable entities or industry."

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A 10 month probe began in May last year after four people were rescued from a boat off the South Gippsland Coast in treacherous conditions.

Their movements after were monitored.

Police say the drug importation syndicate involved sending out 'daughter vessels' into the Bass Straight to receive drugs from a 'mother ship', travelling through Australian waters.

They allegedly tried to smuggle quantities of up to 3.5 tonnes of cocaine into the country but their attempts failed.

"It's almost cinematic isn't it. It starts with a sunken vessel, and then the persistence of the people trying to retrieve that is a thread that leads to a billion dollar national drug distribution network," Craig said.

Over the past month raids have been carried out at properties across the state with a boat police believe was used by the accused conspirators seized.

Eight men were arrested in Victoria and one in Sydney.

The alleged offenders aged between 31 and 72 are now facing a combined 38 charges.

The accused men from Victoria will appear at the Melbourne Magistrates court again in July. 

Five of them are in custody, while the others were released on bail.

If convicted, seven of those arrested face the possibility of life behind bars.

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