Sudden Death of a Heroin Body Packer

Abstract

This report documents an unusual case in which the analysis of postmortem specimens from a female heroin body packer revealed phenomenally high concentrations of morphine, 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM), caffeine, and codeine. Several condoms containing white powder had split, emptied their contents into the stomach, and then leaked into the peritoneum through a rupture in the stomach wall. Blood concentrations were: morphine, 120 mg/L; (6-MAM), 184 mg/L; codeine, 1.7 mg/L; and caffeine, 400 mg/L.