Drug suspect avoids toilet for a month

A suspected drugs mule has not gone to the toilet for more than a month - to hang on to cocaine parcels thought to be hidden in his stomach.

Police think the 49-year-old British man swallowed the packages before getting on a flight home from Columbia. But he refuses to have an X- ray - and police say he is eating as little as possible to prevent nature from taking its course.

Last week the man's lawyers argued he should be freed because officials have been unable to provide evidence that he is a smuggler. But Uxbridge Magistrates' Court in north-west London ruled he must remain in the custody of the UK Border Agency until he goes to the toilet.

Usually, suspects are monitored having two bowel movements to make sure there is nothing stored in their bellies. But police in this case are being forced to play a bizarre waiting game while the man tries to cheat the system.

The longer it goes on, the more danger there is of the packaging around any parcels disintegrating. And if they contain cocaine, it could kill him. A legal source said: "There is only so long this can go on for. It is a real case of s*** or bust."

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was held on suspicion of importing class-A drugs on February 16 at London's Heathrow airport, and charged three days later. GP Dr Carol Cooper told us: "Not having a motion for a month is on the border of what the human body can stand. His bowel could rupture - he is putting his life at great risk."