Jewel thief arrested at Bangkok airport for smuggling diamond in her colon

While airport security can be an invasive hassle when flying, at least most fliers aren't subject to colonoscope and pliers. Unfortunately for one Chinese woman at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, that wasn't the case after airport security spotted a 6 carat diamond within her intestine on the airport x-ray machine.

The 10 million baht diamond (about $278,000) went missing from a Bangkok-area jewelry fair, with a phony stone taking its place. Video surveillance footage reportedly caught 39-year-old Jiang Xulian swiping the precious stone alongside her partner in the act, and a jeweler was later able to successfully identify the pair.

The thief initially resisted, ahem, returning the gem. Police were able to convince the woman to ingest a bout of laxatives only after a doctor explained that the diamond would likely tear her colon apart if left to run nature's course. When laxatives proved ineffective, a doctor armed with a colonoscope and pliers was able to successfully retrieve the pilfered prize. The rightful owner of the 6-carat sparkler was able to successfully ID the stone after it was released from its wily host. Xulian and her partner face 3 years in a Thai prison if convicted.

While a diamond may not be the most bizarre item to be smuggled through security, it certainly ranks among the most expensive. A gentle reminder to all; please don't attempt to smuggle contraband through airport security via your colon. It really holds up the security line.