According to an International Diamond Exchange report, four Mexican nationals robbed a box containing 880 carats of diamonds from the exhibition stand of Israeli diamond company Dalumi.
CCTV footage shows two male suspects distracting the Dalumi diamond trader while a third male suspect is seen placing a box full of diamonds into a female accomplice’s bag.
The four had visited the Dalumi booth earlier in the day but they carried out the robbery when the traders were starting to pack up. After successfully stealing the diamonds, they promptly left the showgrounds and headed straight to the airport. They then swallowed the stones, according to The Times of India.
Vasant Mehta, chairman of the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) told IDEX, “It was a well-planned, professional con job.”
GJEPC quickly alerted the police, who used video footage from the show to help authorities identify the suspects.
The police issued a wanted alert through Interpol and the arrest was made less than 24 hours after the robbery took place.
Sources close to the investigation said that most of the goods had been recovered.
The India International Jewellery Show took place from August 19 to August 23 and attracted more than 26,000 visitors.