[Python] How to hack python import to import a specific namespace package preceding others?

According to PEP420, namespace packages have the lowest precedence. For example, import xxx will not create a namespace package xxx if there are any xxx/__init__.pys or xxx.{py,pyc,so,pyd}s in any path in sys.path.

I have a folder /path/xxx that contains some code and I have been using it as a namespace package by using sys.path.insert(0,'/path') and then import xxx. But now I somehow get another regular package also named xxx that shadows the namespace package I want.

My question is, how can I import /path/xxx no matter what other packages may exist?


P.S.

I tried searching for ways to do it through importlib but find no results.

I cannot make changes to /path/xxx, like adding an __init__.py to it.

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