The fatal case of a cocaine body-stuffer and a literature review – towards evidence based management

Low-tube voltage 100 kVp MDCT in screening of cocaine body packing: image quality and radiation dose compared to 120 kVp MDCT

“…Several forms for incorporeal transportation have been described; the packs may be stuffed in body cavities like the vagina or rectum or swallowed for transportation of larger quantities [6,7]. Up to 40-80 packs can be swallowed and transported over several hours prior to boarding time.…”

Colonic perforation: A lethal consequence of cannabis body packing

“…3,24e29 Acute toxicity is potentially lethal after package rupture with cocaine 4,9,10 or heroine, 7,8 but we encountered no reports in the medical literature of fatalities from cannabis toxicity due to package rupture. The effect of marijuana on individual users is quite unpredictable.…”

Managing high-risk body-stuffers who swallow the evidence

“…[1][2][3] A recently reported case has highlighted the risk in individuals arrested by police and kept in police stations. 1 The question whether or not such detainees are fit to remain in police custody for hours or days is often asked of forensic, general or emergency physicians.…”

“…[1][2][3] A recently reported case has highlighted the risk in individuals arrested by police and kept in police stations. 1 The question whether or not such detainees are fit to remain in police custody for hours or days is often asked of forensic, general or emergency physicians. 1 Intimate searches have no role to find evidence of any drug either in vagina nor in rectum, since 'body-stuffers' are different from 'body-packers' who ingest or conceal in body carefully packaged drugs for international transport.…”

“…1 The question whether or not such detainees are fit to remain in police custody for hours or days is often asked of forensic, general or emergency physicians. 1 Intimate searches have no role to find evidence of any drug either in vagina nor in rectum, since 'body-stuffers' are different from 'body-packers' who ingest or conceal in body carefully packaged drugs for international transport. 4,5 ''Body-stuffers'' are street drug dealers that swallow quickly their small drug packages at the time of their arrest by police if they cannot throw away their packages.…”