Two men could face life in prison after they were allegedly caught trying to smuggle more than 70kg of methamphetamine into New Zealand in checked luggage.

The pair were arrested yesterday at Auckland International Airport after arriving on flight SQ285 from Singapore.

Court documents say a 25-year-old miner and a 23-year-old unemployed man, both of no fixed abode, are each charged with trying to import the Class A drug.

Customs officials allege the men each tried to conceal 36kg of meth inside their checked luggage.

It’s unclear what passports the men were travelling on.

The charges were laid under the Misuse of Drugs Act and carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.

The pair are due to appear in Manukau District Court today.

- More to come