Royal Canadian Mint employee accused of smuggling $180K of gold up rectum

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Thursday, September 22, 2016
Mint employee accused of smuggling $180K of gold up rectum
Lawrence set off the metal detectors at work more than once, but security could never find anything on him.

CANADA -- An employee at the Royal Canadian Mint is accused of smuggling $180K worth of gold in his rectum.

Lester Lawrence is accused of transporting several cookie-sized gold pieces called "pucks" out of the Mint and selling them to a gold buyer. His dealings allegedly netted him almost $180K over the course of a few months.

Although the prosecution couldn't definitively identify the pucks Lawrence sold, they did say they matched an exclusive mold the Mint uses.

Investigators say that he used Vaseline that they found in his work locker.

During testimony it was revealed Lawrence set off the metal detectors at work more than other employees, but they never seemed to find anything on him.

A security employee then tested the idea that the pucks could be concealed in an anal cavity and not be detected by the wand.

Lawrence is charged with five criminal offences, including possession of property obtained by crime and theft over $5,000. He was also fired from the Mint.

CTV reports that the court won't reach a decision in the case until November, but the defense claims the Mint isn't even sure any of their gold is missing.