An off-duty Northern Territory Police Officer has intercepted a shipment of kava bound for the Arnhem Land town of Gove.

Sergeant Erica Sims said the Officer had noticed the carry-on bags of a fellow plane passenger were unusually heavy when they were exiting the aircraft at Gove.

“The Officer approached the passenger and identified himself as a Police Officer at which stage the man dropped his bags and ran from the terminal into thick bushland.

“The Officer has called for back-up and Nhulunbuy Police uncovered 18.8 kilograms of kava in the two abandoned bags.”

Sergeant Sims said the man was arrested two days later when he attempted to buy an plane ticket under a false name.

“He was still wearing the same clothes he had on Tuesday and was arrested at the airport.”

The 49-year-old man was charged with possession of a trafficable quantity of kava and using false ID to obtain an air ticket.

He was remanded to appear in the Darwin Magistrates Court today.