DUBAI // An HIV patient appeared in court this morning charged with attempting to smuggle more than 1.3 kilograms of crystal meth from Nigeria to Malaysia via Dubai.
The 27-year-old Nigerian VS was arrested on October 7 after arriving in Dubai before heading to Kuala Lumpur on an Emirates flight.
Airport security officials spotted the drugs stashed inside the frame of a laptop computer and charger, records show.
"I inspected his hand luggage on the X-ray machines and realised suspicious items were stowed inside of his laptop," said an airport police officer stationed in Terminal Three.
Officers found two packets taped inside the frame of the laptop wrapped in carbon paper. They also found a smaller packet inside the charger.
VS denied knowledge of the items, saying he was given the laptop and asked to deliver it to Malaysia.
VS was also tested for narcotics, and although none were discovered, he was found to be HIV-positive and suffering from Aids.
VS denied the charges in court this morning.
In a separate second case, another Nigerian was charged this morning with smuggling crystal meth. he was arrested at Dubai International Airport on October 13 after officers allegedly found 1.12 kilograms of the drug.
He also denied the charges.
amustafa@thenational.ae