POLICE in Russia have arrested a surgeon for stealing heroin from the stomach of a patient upon whom he was operating.

The unidentified doctor was found in possession of 5 grams of heroin after performing surgery on a man who had allegedly been smuggling drugs in his stomach, the police in the Siberian region of Krasnoyarsk said on Tuesday.

It said that investigators found that some heroin was missing after the doctor had removed the drugs from the patient's stomach in the hospital of the city of Bogotol.

When they searched the surgeon, they found a pack of heroin hidden in his clothes. Police also said that the medic was high.

Investigators published a video showing the suspect being locked up in a police cell. They said that he might face up to 15 years in prison.

The statement said nothing on the situation of the purported drug courier or why anybody would swallow drugs for smuggling in a remote region some 4000 kilometres east of Moscow.