Bum rap? Lankan arrested for trying to smuggle gold in rectum

This handout photo released by the Sri Lanka Customs Office on September 25, 2017 shows a Sri Lankan customs official displaying gold that had been found stuffed in a man’s rectum at the country’s main international airport in Colombo. Sri Lanka customs arrested an India-bound air passenger attempting with “difficulty” to smuggle nearly one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of gold stuffed in his rectum, a spokesman said September 25. Officials were alerted when the 45-year-old Sri Lankan behaved “suspiciously” at Colombo airport’s departure lounge on September 24, spokesman Sunil Jayaratne said - AFP

Reuters: A Sri Lankan man who raised suspicion by the way he kept looking around in an airport departure lounge was found to be carrying nearly a kilogram (2.2 lb) of gold stashed in his rectum, a customs official said on Monday.

The 45-year-old, headed for India, was arrested at Colombo airport on Sunday after customs officials noticed “suspicious movements”, customs spokesman Sunil Jayarathne told Reuters. The suspect was carrying 904.77 grams of gold worth Rs. 4.5 million ($29,577), but was freed after payment of Rs. 100,000, he said. Such methods of smuggling were not unusual, he said.

“The gold was wrapped in plastic bags inserted in to his rectum,” Jayarathne said, adding that there were four bags.

“This is not the first such detection and this is a common method of smuggling.”