Body Packer Syndrome Research Articles

Body Packer Syndrome - Ethical Issues? A Case Series

Transporting the foreign bodies, goods, outside or inside the body is called body packer or body pusher or body stuffers and also mules. Contraband substances and specially gold are smuggled in this process. If suspected by Custom Agency or the Police, they refer the case for medical examination and further medico-legal process of recovery of these substances from human body. The role of the doctors is very crucial as far as the life of mules, amount of material to be recovered, preservation of the evidence material including documents, radiological evidence, x-rays and the procedural methods followed, till handing over the recovered material to the concerned officer and keeping records. In the present study, we discussed various cases of body packers which smuggled cocaine and gold. NCCT scan of abdomen is more effective technique to identify body packers. The work experience of such cases in tertiary care hospital is presented here with the aim to share with medical professionals and medico-legal experts.

A Fatal Case of Opioid Body Packer Syndrome Presented with Seizures

A Fatal Case of Opioid Body Packer Syndrome Presented with Seizures

Body Packer Syndrome: a health hazard of deglutitioned controlled drugs

A case of an accidental overdose in a body packer or drug courier is reported. It highlights a health hazard of deglutitioned controlled drugs. A clinico-pathological aspect of the body packer syndrome is discussed.

Fatal cocaine body packer syndrome depicted on antemortem and postmortem CT: A case report

Fatal cocaine body packer syndrome depicted on antemortem and postmortem CT: A case report

A case of cocaine trafficking via body packer as reported by chemical examinerlaboratory, Punjab, India

Drug trafficking is a global illicit trade. The international drug trade uses various methods to smuggle narcotics. These methods include hiding the narcotics in vehicles or carried items, attaching them to one's body or use of the body as a container. A viscera case was received by Chemical Examiner Laboratory (CEL) in July, 2015 with history of suspected drug overdose along with two capsules (one intact and one ruptured). This was a case of body packer which was clarified from the copy of postmortem report (PMR) sent by autopsy surgeon along with various exhibits. We are writing this case because this is the only reported body packer syndrome in which viscera was analyzed by CEL.

Heroin ‘Body Packer'-A Case Report

Body packing refers to the internal concealment of drugs within the gastrointestinal tract or other orifices. People who do this are called Body Packers. The Body Packer Syndrome is accidental and unintentional poisoning with illicit drugs in persons, who attempt to transport drugs illegally across national borders by packing them in plastic packets, ingesting them or inserting them in body orifices, and then subsequently retrieving them in a foreign country, thus safely bypassing custom authorities.

Mystifying Toxidrome: A Case of Heroin Body Packer Syndrome

Drug trafficking is an international problem. Over years it has increased in prevalence and concealment methods. Body packers swallow wrapped packets of illicit drugs, mainly cocaine and heroin and try to conceal them from security personnel. They present to physicians either as body packer syndrome with symptoms of intoxication or asymptomatically on suspicion of drug concealment, for observation. We report a case of middle aged unknown male, found in comatose state on road side by Delhi police (India), brought to our emergency without any signs of injury. Initially organophosphate toxidrome was suspected, later confirmed to be opiod toxidrome with internal concealment of many balloons (of polythene) wrapped packets of heroin. On failure of conservative removal, he underwent laparotomy with complete removal of all the packets. He was discharged in stable condition and handed over to the police. This is the first case report of live heroin body packer syndrome from India.

Death as a Result of Body Packer's Syndrome

Death as a Result of Body Packer's Syndrome

Body packer syndrome

Body packer syndrome

Body packer syndrome

Body packer syndrome

Surgery for body packing in the Caribbean: a retrospective study of 70 patients.

Body packing is a way to deliver packages of drugs hidden in body cavities, across international borders. This may cause mechanical bowel obstruction and intoxication leading to emergency surgery. The objective of this retrospective study is to evaluate pre-, per- and postoperative characteristics of body packing and its complications and prognosis after surgery. Medical information was obtained from 70 patients diagnosed with Body Packer syndrome who underwent surgery for body packing in the period of July 2001-July 2005 at the St. Elisabeth hospital, Curaçao, the Netherlands Antilles. Wound infection occurred in 32.9% and fascia dehiscence in 2.9%. Most procedures were enterotomies. One patient had a re-laparotomy for Hartmann's procedure because of an anastomotic leak and three other patients had a partial small bowel resection. The creation of a stoma was only needed in one patient. One patient died of postoperative DIC. In six patients packages were left behind, not requiring re-operation. Bowel obstruction and symptoms of intoxication are clear indications for surgery in body packing patients. In our study there was a low mortality and stoma placement rate, we did find a remarkable high amount of wound infection but no evidence for a higher incidence of fascia dehiscence in comparison with elective gastrointestinal surgery. In surgery for bodypacking a mandatory postoperative x-ray is indicated. A prospective trial is needed to assess more information about possible predictive factors of postoperative complications and mortality after surgery for body packing.

Consequence of body packing of illicit drugs.

During the last decade, increased rates of drug traffic have led the smugglers to use various methods. One of these methods of illicit drug smuggling is body packing. Smuggling by intra-abdominal concealment is called "body packing". In this research, mortality rate was investigated due to body packing in Tehran. A descriptive study (case series) was designed on all corpses referred to the Forensic Medicine Organization of Tehran between April 1999 - December 2000. Demographic data such as sex, age, marital status, addiction, job, education level, type of opioid and the weight, number of packets, and results of blood and urine morphine tests by thin-layer chromatographic method were investigated. Continental system of law is used in Iran and 0.06% of the referred corpses to Forensic Medicine Organization of Tehran were body packers. There were 12 cases, all of them were men. The mean age of body packers was 43 years (range 20 - 62). The minimum weight of the packets was 20 g and the maximum weight was 1400 g (mean = 501 g). The minimum number of the packets was one and the maximum number of the packets was 48. Twenty five percent of the corps were putrefied and one corpse was mummified. None of the body packers had academic education nor were employed. Nine of them lived in cities. Twenty five percent of them were intravenous addicts. The corpses were found mostly in terminals (17%), roads (58%), and cities (25%). Hospital physicians may neglect this type of gastrointestinal foreign body if they are not aware of the body packer syndrome. Body packing should be suspected in anyone with signs of drug-induced toxic effects after a recent arrival on city terminals or when there is no history of recreational drug use.

Death from body packer syndrome: case report

We report a case of death due to the effects of heroin concealed in a woman who was attempting to smuggle the drug into Kenya concealed within her gastro-intestinal tract. She was arrested at a Nairobi airport. While under police detention, she expelled a pellet par anum containing the drug then collapsed, after being forcefully fed on a heavy meal. She was taken to hospital in coma where she expelled nine pellets and died three days later. Her blood level of heroin at admission was well beyond the lethal dose. Details are provided of the circumstances leading to her admission into hospital, her stay in hospital and the autopsy findings. At autopsy 88 pellets were retrieved from her body. The main pathological findings included pulmonary and cerebral edema. Despite the presence of free heroin in the gastric contents, toxicological analysis did not demonstrate any heroin or its metabolites in blood or tissue extracts. This case illustrates the challenges in postmortem evaluation of narcotic fatalities and the need to consider all factors such as antemortem history, toxicology results and autopsy findings in forensic diagnosis

The body packer syndrome--cocaine smuggling in the gastro-intestinal tract.

Cocaine drug packets were found in the gastro-intestinal tract of seven persons, charged with and arrested for presumed drug smuggling. Plain abdominal roentgenograms were positive in 4, while computer tomography of the abdomen (CT-scan) was necessary in 3 others to make the diagnosis. There were no signs of acute intoxication or bowel obstruction. All patients were treated with enemas and/or laxatives in order to evacuate the hidden packets; no complications occurred. A clinical description of the seven cases is followed by a short review of the literature, mainly focused on the possible complications of ingested drug packets and possible methods of removal.

The “Body Packer Syndrome”—Toxicity Following Ingestion of Illicit Drugs Packaged for Transportation

Ten fatalities and one survivor of attempts to smuggle cocaine within the body were investigated. Most cases have occurred since 1979. All but one of the victims were male. Victims found dead at home or in hotel rooms had little or no drug paraphernalia at the scene, although abundant laxatives and enema apparatus were often evident. Some died aboard aircraft, and witnesses described agitated behavior followed by grand-mal type seizures, respiratory collapse, and death. Seven victims presented to hospital emergency rooms. The symptoms include mydriasis, seizures, acute toxic psychosis, and coma in various combinations. One individual, realizing his plight, sought emergency room help by claiming he attempted suicide by using cocaine. All victims had recently returned to the United States on flights from South America. Balloons, condoms, or plastic bags filled with 3 to 6 g of cocaine each were swallowed and found in the gastrointestinal tract of eight victims. One of these had ingested more than 147 packets totaling 460 g. Two victims inserted packets of cocaine into their rectums, and one woman was found with nearly 170 g of cocaine in her vagina. The packets, being semipermeable membranes, do not have to break open to cause death from acute cocaine toxicity. Characteristic autopsy and radiologic findings, circumstances of death, and toxicologic data are presented. The "body packer syndrome" should be considered in any international traveler who dies suddenly, has seizures, or presents with any signs consistent with cocaine toxicity.