A 25-year-old man from Sydney has been charged after he allegedly tried to smuggle 22 kilograms of cocaine into Australia from South Africa inside suitcases.

The man flew into Sydney Airport on a flight from Johannesburg via Doha, Qatar.

Australian Border Force (ABF) officers selected the man for a baggage check after his flight.

They allegedly found 22 packages wrapped in plastic inside the suitcase and the matter was referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

"The packages contained a white powder and presumptive testing of the substance returned a positive result for cocaine," an AFP spokesperson said.

The packages were seized and the man was charged with one count of importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.

The offence carries a maximum penalty of

See Full Page