Oral corpse messaging in drug trafficking victims: A scoping review

The mouth plays an important role in the self-representation and its damage threatens psychological integrity and self-perception. There is literature that reports the mouth as an intentional source of harm in different contexts of violence and torture. Mutilations in drug trafficking contexts (as "corpse messaging") have been recommended as necessary for evaluation and analysis in medicolegal environment as they can guide investigations, even favoring the identification of the criminal group involved. A scoping review focused on lesions and oral signs configuring oral corpse messaging in victims of drug trafficking was carried out, which identified six patterns: a) genitals stuffed in the mouth; b) finger stuffed in mouth; c) 'Colombian necktie'; d) cutting out the tongue; e) the mouth is taped shut; and f) badges stuffed into the mouths. The meanings attributed to each of these oral corpse messaging, their historical contexts, and their diagnostic value in the drug trafficking scene in Latin America are discussed. The role that the forensic dentist can play during the medicolegal autopsy is also discussed.