Woman who swallowed a fake diamond convicted

A mainland Chinese woman, who swallowed a fake diamond, and her accomplice, Huang Yanming, have been jailed for 28 months after a failed diamond heist in Hong Kong that took place at the Jewellery and Gem Fair on June 25.
Hunan resident Liu Xiuluan was caught attempting to swap a fake diamond made of zirconium and oxygen with the real 3.54 carat diamond worth at least HKD1.6 million. When the plan backfired, she swallowed the fake diamond.
Liu had asked a marketing manager at the booth which belonged to Star Brilliance Company to show her the diamond, the District Court heard. She then swapped the real diamond with one of the fakes, but attempted to reverse the swap after she realized that the manager had noticed the act.
She then swallowed the fake diamond after it had dropped to the floor during the second swap. However the court heard that two gemstones, weighing 1.38 and 1.11 grams respectively, were found in Liu’s stool four days later.
Liu and Huang each pleaded guilty to one count of attempted theft during the hearing on Monday.
Judge Gary Lam Kar-
yan noted that although the theft was not sophisticated, it was well planned. “They were armed with two diamonds to perform the swap,” said Lam, before adding that they had dressed for the occasion and used fake permits to enter the fair.
Lam initially sentenced the duo to four years in jail, however reduced their sentences in view of their guilty pleas.