A Thai doctor pulled out from the anal cavity of a Chinese woman a 6-carat gemstone. The diamond worth $278,000, was allegedly stolen by the woman at the Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair.
While it saved the suspect from possible damage to her digestive system, the precious stone became evidence against the woman and would help in sending her to prison. Thai authorities had to resort to using a medical pliers and a colonoscope to get the jewel after laxatives failed to do its job of expelling the alleged stolen item from the woman's stomach, reports the New York Post.
Mirror identified the suspect as 39-year-old Jiang Xulian. According to Police Col. Mana Tienmaungpal, Jiang and a Chinese man, 34-year-old Hae Ying, were arrested on Thursday night at the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok while the couple were about to flee Thailand. According to a surveillance video in the fair, the two switched the real diamond with a fake stone after they requested to inspect the gem. The vendor positively identified the pair as the thieves.
The accused initially denied she stole the stone, but after an X-ray showed the diamond inside her body, Jiang confessed to the crime. The woman agreed to the medical procedure after she was told of the risk to her health if the stone remains inside her stomach, Mana said.
The store owner confirmed it was the same diamond that Jiang and Hae stole when authorities returned the gem to the jeweler.
Technology at airports such as body scan machines have made it easier for border security to catch smugglers of high-valued items, including jewelry and drugs, by ingesting the goods or inserting it inside their rectums or vagina to avoid detection. In 2012, South African authorities caught a 25-year-old man bound for Dubai who swallowed 220 polished diamonds worth $2.3 million.