Jackson Igwebuike, 33, in Canberra on a student visa, was caught in a sting after Australian Border Force officers intercepted packages containing three 20 kilogram statues headed for the capital.

One of the statues allegedly contained 10 kilograms of the drug ice.

Officers swapped the illicit substance with a fake alternative, and sent the package on to Kaleen, where it was allegedly picked up by Igwebuike and taken to a second address in the same suburb.

He was arrested attempting to board a bus at the Jolimont Centre.

He was allegedly planning to travel to Sydney, and had packages in his possession that police say were removed from the statue.

Police raided the second address in Kaleen and allege they found similar packaging and statues.

Igwebuike, police say, was in Australia on a student visa.

He is facing a term of life imprisonment.

Magistrate Glenn Theakston committed Igwebuike to the Supreme Court for trial on Thursday. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges of attempting to import or export a commercial quantity of drugs.

Igwebuike remained in custody.

He is due to appear in the Supreme Court in September.