Husband charged with drug smuggling after his wife collapsed on board a plane

Husband charged with drug smuggling after his wife collapsed on board a plane, forcing it to make an emergency landing in Alice Springs.The 45-year-old woman became unconscious during a Vietnam Airlines flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Sydney on Wednesday.The flight was diverted to the desert town about 6.30am (CST) and the woman was immediately rushed to hospital.It is believed she later had surgery to remove condoms containing heroin from her stomach.Some of the drugs are understood to have seeped into her system.The woman remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital.Officers with the Australia Federal Police (AFP) went to Alice Springs Hospital to interview the woman’s 50-year-old husband on Thursday.He was charged later that night with importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug, believed to be heroin.It is not known how much of the drug he had on him. The alleged drug mule briefly appeared in Alice Springs Court today and was remanded in custody for another hearing later this month.The AFP is investigating whether the woman was also carrying illegal drugs.“It is ongoing investigation and we are unable to comment further,” an AFP spokeswoman said.