Drug smuggler 'got cold feet'

The cocaine trade is a lucrative business around the world. Photo / Richard Robinson

Almost 6kg of cocaine have been found dumped in an aircraft toilet cubicle at Sydney Airport.

The Boeing 747 was searched on Sunday morning after arriving in Sydney from Los Angeles.

Officers and specialist dog teams found 12 blocks of shrink-wrapped white powder in a rubbish bin in one of the toilet cubicles.

The powder was later confirmed as 5.7kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of A$660,000 ($758,000).

Customs manager Gayle Brown said the drugs had been handed over to the Australian Federal Police.

"It's pretty obvious that whoever planned to import these drugs got cold feet at some stage."

She said Customs officers regularly searched international aircraft.

"This ... [is] why we need to continue."

- AAP