The risk of body packing: a case of a fatal cocaine overdose
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Updated: Aug 17, 2026

Assessment of Cocaine-induced Behavioral Sensitization and Conditioned Place Preference in Mice
Published on: February 18, 2016
Steven A Koehler1, Shaun Ladham, Leon Rozin
1Allegheny County Coroner's Office, 542 Fourth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA. skoehler@county.allegheny.pa.us
Abstract:
The process of swallowing or inserting illegal packets of drugs for the purpose of evading law enforcement officers carries risks other than criminal charges. It can be fatal. Individuals engaged in such activities are called "Body Packers" or "Mules". The most frequent cause of the death among body packers is acute drug intoxication due to rupture of the package(s) within the gastrointestinal tract. We present the first documented case of a body packer that died from cocaine intoxication following the rupture of packets of cocaine in Western Pennsylvania.
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