Investigation of Radiological Imaging, Treatment and Package Contents of Body Packers Brought to the Emergency Department in Our Region

Objective: Illegal transportation of drugs in body cavities has recently become a method used in international drug trafficking. We wanted to study the demographic characteristics and types and quantities of substances carried. In addition, we wanted to present the characteristics of a case of opioid intoxication in our region.
Material and Methods: Between January 2020 and July 2023, we retrospectively reviewed patients who were brought to a third-level emergency department by law enforcement officers with the suspicion of carrying drugs in their bodies. The characteristics and quantity of the substances they carried were obtained from the department of narcotics.
Results: Twenty-two cases brought to our emergency department were found to have narcotics in their bodies. The cases comprised 22 people, 17 males and 5 females. The mean age was 31.4±8.7 years. The majority (68%) of substances carried were opioids. The packages were surgically removed in the person who developed opioid toxicity, whereas laxatives were used in the others. It was found that the broken package was made by simple bagging without the use of a condom.
Conclusion: In our region, all the people-carrying drugs in their bodies were young. The substance carried was mostly opioids rather than cocaine. All smugglers used wheeled transportation.

Keywords: Opioid intoxication, body packers, drug mules