Diamond Theft

[DUNJA WRBKA]

A former Namdeb (Namibia De Beers) Diamond Corporation employee, Gert Johannes Feris, was convicted of stealing 51 diamonds worth $2.5 million on September 16, 1999. Feris swallowed 70.30 carats of diamonds at the diamond mining town of Oranjemund. Feris admitted he had intended to sell the stones for his personal use. He also confirmed to the court that the stolen gemstones were found inside his stomach. He admitted swallowing the rocks in an attempt to pass an X-ray checkpoint at the mine's Personnel Control Center.


Does anyone remember this incident?  Have there been many of these in Oranjemund?  I always thought that there were very strict controls and not much of this ever happend....

[Michael Alexander]

I'll leave this answer to Adriaan...... save to say that a lot, a lot of this type of thing is happening.... if only they knew....

[Barbara Eia (Brownless)]

I know of one such incident in the 70, but cannot discuss on forum.

[bobbysmith]

breaking news,BOBBY SMITH HAS SMUGGLED DIAMONDS FROM OM

[DUNJA WRBKA]

I suppose as Oranjemund was, all cloak and dagger stuff....  Guess always seen but never heard of?

[Michael Alexander]

Bobby, did you get the next parcel I sent you.... all quality my friend..... Ooops, I forgot the men in Black are in here.....   

[Carl Wrbka]

I recall a few years ago being offered an uncut diamond here at work. We had a contractor that had just started in our section, a coloured guy, with the missing front teeth and accent to match.  One day he pulls out this matchbox filled with pieces of "glass" and asks me if I want to buy a diamond for R400. He even went as far as cutting a hole in my office window to prove it's authenticity. Turns out he had worked in OM shortly before joining us and that explained the source of the diamonds.

Nevertheless, I wasn't too keen on spending my next few years in the SA penal system trying to prevent my soap  from dropping in the showers, so I graciously declined. I believe he did get his diamonds sold though, because when he left he did so in a spanky new car. When he joined us, he was hitchhiking werever he needed to go.

[Michael Alexander]

What's wrong with Soap on a rope..?      

[Carl Wrbka]

Didn't think of that. I suppose you could always use it to  after they've done with you.  :36_2_35:

[georg ruf jr.]

Or shower-gel?
bling1

[Carl Wrbka]

You cant  with shower gel.

[georg ruf jr.]

But then... If you drop the shower gel...
Good you didn't take the diamonds.

[Carl Wrbka]

It could be worse. You could drop the shower gel next to the soap...