A Nigerian national was yesterday charged with conspiring to traffic in heroin and cocaine and importing the drugs when he allegedly swallowed drug-filled capsules.

Agboola Remilekun Komorudeen, 45, was apprehended at the airport on Friday night after police and customs officials were informed that a Nigerian national was going to smuggle drugs into the Malta, police said.

Officials searched various passengers aboard a flight from Brussels that had just landed. Mr Komorudeen was amongst those searched and, initially, nothing was found on him.

However officials then carried out an x-ray and saw several capsules lodged in his intestines, the police said.

Mr Komorudeen was consequently arraigned yesterday before Magistrate Silvio Meli and pleaded not guilty to conspiring to deal in and importing cocaine and heroin and the possession of the drugs with the intent to sell.

Lawyer Patrick Valentino, for the defendant, did not make a request for bail but asked the magistrate to request that the prison authorities provide his client with adequate health care since he was a diabetic.

Police Inspector Pierre Grech, prosecuting, explained that Mr Komorudeen was still being held at Mater Dei Hospital, under medical supervision, as he still had to pass about 20 capsules even though he had already excreted some.