SINGAPORE — A man from Hong Kong was handed a capital charge on Thursday (July 18) for trafficking more than 4kg worth of methamphetamine or "Ice".

The drugs, estimated to be worth S$500,000, were hidden in two ornamental lion figurines.

Sze Hoi Shing, 25, appeared in court via video-link from where he was remanded and asked for a Cantonese interpreter.

He faces the death penalty for one count of allegedly having 4.15kg of meth in four packets outside the office of Chinese logistics company SF Express at 7 Changi South Street 2 at about 12.25pm on July 16.

Meth is a Class A Controlled Drug under Singapore's Misuse of Drugs Act.

Sze did not have a lawyer. He asked the court via the interpreter if he could apply for legal aid, as he has no friends or relatives in Singapore.

The prosecutor responded that if the case goes to the High Court as expected, Sze will be assigned a lawyer under the Legal Assistance Scheme for Capital Offences.

The scheme offers free legal aid for those facing capital charges.

Sze then asked when he would be able to speak to the lawyer.

"Because I only know I have been arrested and charged for this offence but I don't know what happened before that," he said.

The prosecution responded that they could not answer as no lawyer has been appointed for Sze yet.

They sought a week's remand for Sze.

Sze was arrested in the Changi South area on Tuesday afternoon after he deposited a package at an airfreight warehouse nearby, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said in an earlier statement.

CNB made the arrest after exchanging intelligence with the Narcotics Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force.

CNB seized the package and found the two ornamental lion figurines inside. About 4.15kg of meth was concealed within the base structure of the figurines.

Anyone found guilty of trafficking more than 250g of meth may face the mandatory death penalty.

Sze will return to court next Thursday. CNA