An Australian woman appeared in court here today on charges of trying to smuggle three kilogrammes of heroin hidden in her corset onto a flight to Sydney, official sources said.

The 46-year-old Yugoslav-born woman, Gordana Parezanovic, who immigrated to Australia some eight years ago and lives in Melbourne, was remanded in custody for two weeks.

She was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday at the international airport here, where drug smuggling carries the death penalty.

Relations between Malaysia and Australia were strained in 1986 when two Australian men were hanged for drug trafficking.

The woman, who was in transit from Vienna, was caught as she was about to board a plane for Sydney at about 4:45 am on Wednesday, said police spokesman Mohd Shukri Dahalan.

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She had aroused the suspicion of female security personnel during routine screening at the departure gate and a search found six packets of heroin hidden in her corset, he said.

An Australian government spokeswoman in Canberra confirmed that the woman was an Australian national and said she had been provided with a list of lawyers in case she wanted legal representation.

The High commission in Kuala Lumpur was also checking to see whether she needed any other consular assistance, the spokeswoman said. (AFP)