Police in Australia say an explosives-filled trailer that politicians earlier described as an antisemitic terrorism plot and a foiled mass casualty event was staged by criminals in a complicated hoax.

Australian Jews were facing violent incidents for months but authorities say there hasn't been a significant attack since early February.

Australian police said they have charged 14 members of an organised crime ring accused of menacing the country with attacks dressed up as religiously motivated hate crimes.

The discovery was staged by criminals as part of a complicated hoax to divert police resources and create fear, authorities said.

A fake plan to attack on a Sydney synagogue using a caravan of explosives was fabricated by an organized crime network in order to divert police resources, Australian police said on Monday.