NCJ Number
181761
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 45 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2000 Pages: 42-47
Date Published
January 2000
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This paper describes four fatalities that involved heroin body packing and that were analyzed by the New Jersey Regional Medical Examiner Office.
Abstract
The forensic literature has thoroughly described death from heroin body packing. Most fatalities result from drug leakage and consequent active heroin toxicity. Recently, drug traffickers have become more sophisticated in their packaging, and the risk of rupture of drug packets is more remote. Intestinal obstruction is a recognized risk of body packing, but it has rarely resulted in death. Death in three of the cases reported in the present study was due to intestinal obstruction, with resultant intestinal rupture and peritonitis. Toxicologic evaluation in these three cases was negative for opiates or other drugs of abuse. Death in one case was due to acute heroin toxicity, validated by toxicologic analysis. Three of these four individuals were known to have traveled to the United States from Europe, South America, or Africa; the origin of the other individual was unknown. The drug packaging in the individuals with bowel perforation consisted of compressed drug covered with multiple layers. The characteristics of the drugs and packaging may be unique to geographic regions and thus useful for identifying divergent drug traffickers. The problem of heroin packing will probably continue, because the United States is the world’s most lucrative wholesale and retail market for heroin. Photographs and 10 references (Author abstract modified)