Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force officers say they seized 18 storage devices containing child abuse material from the man who arrived on a flight from the Philippines on Saturday.

He will appear in Sydney Central Local Court on Wednesday charged with importing tier 2 goods without approval and if convicted faces up to 10 years' jail.

AFP Acting Sergeant Ryan Henderson said the arrest highlighted how the exploitation and abuse of children remained a global issue.

"The AFP aims to protect children, wherever they live, and to ensure anyone who tries to harm them - or exploit abuse committed upon children - is identified and brought before the courts," he said.

ABF Superintendent Phillip Anderson praised the continued efforts of border staff in stopping child abuse material entering the country.

"Tackling child exploitation is an operational priority for the ABF and our officers are highly skilled at identifying people at our airports who are involved in, or carrying this abhorrent material," he said.

Australian Associated Press