Chinese woman swallows stolen B10m diamond

The two Chinese nationals are interrogated after being detained at Suvarnabhumi airport on Thursday night on suspicion of theft of a 10-million-baht diamond from the annual jewellery fair at Impact Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi. (Photo by Pongpat Wongyala)

The Chinese woman accused of stealing a 10-million-baht diamond from a jewellery fair being held in Nonthaburi has confessed to having swallowed the precious gemstone, police said on Saturday.

Jiang Xulian, 39, confessed late Friday night after an X-ray scan showed a diamond-like object in her large intestine, said police.

The woman was later given laxatives before she and another Chinese man, identified later as Hae Ying, 34, were held in police custody for legal action.

The duo were earlier detained at Suvarnabhumi airport on Thursday night on suspicion of stealing a six-carat diamond at the Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair at Impact Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi.

Pak Kret police were informed by an exhibitor at the fair that a couple who appeared to be Chinese nationals had switched a fake diamond for a genuine six-carat stone worth around 10 million baht on the first day of the fair.

Video footage from the CCTV at Challenger building where the fair is being held showed the two Chinese at the booth.

Immigration police later detained a Chinese couple whose appearance matched the video images. They initially kept denying the accusation, claiming that they were just tourists visiting Thailand and about to return home. However, police did not find the stolen diamond with them at the time.

The duo were later asked to undergo an X-ray scan which found the stolen diamond in the woman's large intestine.

Pol Lt Col Wichit Chan-iem, deputy investigation chief at Pak Kret police station, said police would take the Chinese woman to Police General Hospital to find ways to get the diamond after the woman refused to eat any food and only drank water.

Police on Saturday took the couple to Nonthaburi Provincial Court for court approval to detain them for 12 days pending interrogation.