Boston ? Three Boston police officers accused of taking $35,000 in exchange for protecting a cocaine shipment were arrested in Miami on federal drug charges in an FBI sting operation, authorities said Friday.

Roberto Pulido, 41, Carlos Pizarro, 36, and Nelson Carrasquillo, 35, were arrested late Thursday in Miami. Authorities described Pulido as the ringleader and said he was involved in a broad range of other illegal activities, from participating in identity theft to smuggling illegal immigrants to selling steroids.

All three officers appeared briefly Friday in federal court in Miami but did not enter pleas. The judge said he would appoint attorneys to assist with their Miami proceedings and ordered them held until a detention hearing, set for Wednesday.