Ten years of "body packers" in New York City: 50 deaths

J Forensic Sci. 2002 Jul;47(4):843-6.

Abstract

We reviewed all 50 body packer deaths in New York City from 1990 to 2001. The majority (37/50) of deaths were caused by acute intoxications due to open or leaking drug packets in the gastrointestinal tract. The number of packets recovered ranged from 1 to 111 (average 46). The weight of the combined packets ranged from 9.4 to 1,200 g (average of 377). The age ranged from 19 to 57 years (mean 37.1). The decedents were: 82% male, 66% Hispanic, 24% Black, and 10% White. The manners of death were 47 accidents, 1 homicide, 1 natural, and 1 undetermined. The causes of death included 42 acute intoxications, 5 intestinal obstructions/bowel perforations, 1 gunshot wound, 1 intracerebral hemorrhage due to hypertensive disease, and 1 undetermined. Of the 50 decedents, 42 were transporting opiates, 4 cocaine, and 4 both opiates and cocaine. There were 9 deaths from 1990-1995 and 41 from 1996-2001. Of the 41 deaths between 1996 and 2001, only 6 involved cocaine. In New York City there has been an increase in body packer deaths from the early 1990s to the late 1990s. Along with this increase is a marked predominance of opiate body packer deaths with few cocaine deaths.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Autopsy
  • Cause of Death
  • Cocaine / poisoning*
  • Commerce
  • Digestive System
  • Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / poisoning*
  • Drug Overdose*
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Narcotics / poisoning*
  • New York City
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Substance-Related Disorders
  • Transportation*

Substances

  • Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors
  • Narcotics
  • Cocaine