Updated at 6.36pm:
A Liberian man pleaded not guilty to smuggling high-grade heroin - which was allegedly destined for the mainland and being transported through Hong Kong.
Henry William Jackson was charged with one count of trafficking in dangerous drugs.
He was arrested on August 4 last year when leaving a hotel room in Tsim Sha Tsui. Customs officers stopped Jackson at the door of the room and later found 4.17 kilograms of heroin in one of two suitcases he was carrying.
Wearing a white basketball jersey, Jackson appeared in the High Court on Tuesday and told the court he rejected the prosecution's case against him.
'I don't agree with that. I did not help in drug trafficking for money,' he said.
He claimed the suitcases belonged to a friend of his in Hong Kong. Jackson said the friend, who had rented the hotel room, telephoned him on that day asking him to help collect the luggage.
The Liberian man said he was told that the two suitcases contained dresses and money and had no idea about the drugs.