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

COLOMBO (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 &ldquo-suspicious movements&rdquo-, customs spokesman Sunil Jayarathne told Reuters.

The suspect was carrying 904.77 grams of gold worth 4.5 million rupees ($29,577), but was freed after payment of 100,000 rupees, he said. Such methods of smuggling were not unusual, he said.

&ldquo-The gold was wrapped in plastic bags inserted in to his rectum,&rdquo- Jayarathne said, adding that there were four bags.

&ldquo-This is not the first such detection and this is a common method of smuggling.&rdquo-