Canadian national charged after more than 11kg of cocaine allegedly found in luggage at Sydney Airport

Police in Sydney have arrested a Canadian man after more that 11kg of cocaine was allegedly found stashed in his luggage.

The 38-year-old traveller was singled out after arriving in Sydney from the United States on Thursday.

Australian Border Force officers allegedly located 10 vacuum-sealed packages in his luggage, with a combined estimate weight of 11.6kg.

ABF superintendent Elke West vowed that as passenger numbers surge over the holiday period; “routine targeting and interceptions do not stop”.

“Criminal syndicates will attempt to exploit and manipulate vulnerable travellers in order to bypass border attention,” he said.

“Our message is that we see you, and we will work to stamp out the scourge of illicit drugs coming into our country.”

AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Dom Stephenson labeled the incident an allegedly “brazen attempt” to smuggle drugs into Australia.

“For those who arrive in our country with drugs in their possession, they should expect to be detected and face the full consequences of the law,” he said.

The Canadian man has been charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug and will appear in court on February 12.