One kilogramme of cocaine and a small amount of cannabis were discovered by customs officials at the Malta International Airport late on Tuesday.

The police said that a 60-year-old man from Hamrun was arrested after the drugs were found in his luggage.

In a joint operation between the customs and police, the man was stopped after he got off a flight from Amsterdam.

After passing through the blue exit in the arrivals lounge, the man was asked to place his luggage in the X-ray machine. Customs officials became suspicious of two large candles inside his bag.

The candles were broken and the drugs, 20gr of cannabis in one, and 1kg of cocaine in the other, were discovered.

The Customs Department said the man’s luggage was searched following extensive surveillance of a number of people in connection with the importation of cocaine from Holland.

Duty magistrate Antonio Mizzi appointed various court experts to help in the inquiry.

The man is expected to be arraigned in the coming days.