An Australian man has been charged in Thailand with drugs possession after doctors treating him for stomach pains allegedly found 60 condoms stuffed with hashish in his intestine, police said today.
John Paul Jones, 51, was rushed to hospital on Friday night in the southern Thai town of Surat Thani, local police officer Lieutenant Colonel Songyos Chotesurat told Agence France-Presse.
"Doctors operated on him and they found hash in the 60 condoms in his intestine," Songyos said, adding that some of the condoms had burst, leaking the drugs into the Australian's system.
"We will investigate him more when he has recovered," he added.
It is understood three of the condoms had burst.
Jones remained in hospital, Songyos said, but was charged with possession of narcotics, which carries a maximum jail term of five years.
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) would not confirm Jones' name but said a 51-year-old man had been hospitalised in Surat Thani on Friday.
DFAT was investigating reports of his arrest.
Provincial authorities speculated that Jones had swallowed the goods to get them past port inspectors at the pier to Phangan Island, notorious for its "full moon" parties, drug-fuelled all-night revels that attract hundreds of foreign tourists each month.
