An American man was arrested at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri on Thursday, after two suitcases with cocaine were intercepted.

Police said that around 12:10pm, ranks of the Police Narcotics Branch at the CJIA intercepted the suitcases while observing the scanning machine during checks of an outgoing flight to JFK, Airport, New York.

The two suitcases were subsequently searched and a total of 5.870 kilogrammes of cocaine were found.

The American passenger was subsequently arrested and is in police custody assisting with the investigations, police added.