Image copyright Essex Police Image caption The 24-year-old man was arrested in Harlow in January and has been held in a cell on constant watch ever since 
 
 A suspected drug dealer thought to have concealed illicit substances inside his body has begun the 20th day of a self-imposed toilet strike. 
 
 Essex Police's Operation Raptor team arrested the 24-year-old man in Harlow on 17 January. 
 
 However, the suspected gang member is understood to have inserted a batch of drugs into his body. 
 
 Essex Police said the man, who is being kept on constant watch, was receiving daily medical assessments. 
 
 On Twitter, the Operation Raptor team has been providing daily updates using the hashtag #poowatch. 
 
 The police said it had publicised the case on social media in order to challenge the idea that gang membership or dealing in drugs was in some way "glamorous". 
 
 The man is being held in a cell under the constant supervision of police officers. 
 
 Essex Police has made a number of journeys to magistrates courts to seek extensions to the man's detention. The man has been charged with two counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs. 
 
 A police spokeswoman said the longest a suspect had ever gone without using a toilet was believed to be 23 days. 
 
 The Howard League for Penal Reform said it hoped the situation was "resolved soon". 

 What is constipation? 
 
 Constipation occurs when bowel movements become difficult or less frequent than normal. The frequency or time between bowel movements ranges widely from person to person. Some people have bowel movements several times a day while others only one to two times a week. Going longer than three days without a bowel movement is too long. After three days, the stool becomes harder and more difficult to pass. 
 
 What causes constipation? 
 
 Constipation is most commonly caused by inadequate fiber in the diet or a disruption of the regular diet or routine. Chronic constipation may be due to a poor diet, dehydration, certain medications (such as antidepressants, strong pain medications), stress, or the pressure of other activities that force you to ignore the urge to empty the bowel. 
 
 Various medical conditions can also cause or aggravate constipation. Some of the more common medical conditions that cause constipation include endocrine problems, such as decreased function of the thyroid gland or diabetes. Colorectal cancer is another medical condition that can cause constipation but it usually also accompanied by other symptoms including blood in the stool and weight loss. Common causes of constipation include the following: 

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– To save you the ignominy of Googling "how long can you go without pooping?" we did it for you. The question is sure to come to mind after reading about a bizarre case out of the UK, where Essex Police are on #poowatch and tweeting about it. This after a suspected drug dealer believed to have drugs hidden in his body has now for 21 days refused to poop. The BBC reports the 24-year-old was arrested Jan. 17 and has been under supervision since then, with the department's Operation Raptor team that arrested him providing updates like this one, tweeted Wednesday: "Day 21/3 weeks for our man on #poowatch still no movements/items to report, he will remain with us until Friday when we are back at court where we will be requesting a further 8 days should he not produce anything before that hearing." Last Friday they tweeted that the man is being watched by doctors and was in fine health at the time. Per the BBC, police decided to keep the public informed of the man's bowel movements in an effort to quash any illusions that drug dealing is "glamorous." The man is reportedly a couple of days away from what a police rep believes to be the record for a suspect not pooping: 23 days. As for the original question about how long one can go, an answer-ish: The Cleveland Clinic says to seek medical help if it's been longer than three weeks; a 16-year-old British girl died in 2013 after the Telegraph reports she did not have a bowel movement for eight weeks. (This remains one classic story of a poop gone wrong.)