21-Year-Old Drug Mule Expels 110 Bullets; Doctor Warns Against Ingesting Drugs for Smuggling

• A 21-year-old woman was arrested at the airport for trying to smuggle drugs into the country
• The South African woman has since expelled 110 drug bullets, which she had ingested
• A Johannesburg doctor has warned against the dangers of ingesting drugs for smuggling purposes

JOHANNESBURG - The 21-year-old South African drug mule has already expelled 110 drug bullets since her arrest.

The South African woman was nabbed at OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday, September 29, after she had flown in from Sao Paolo, Brazil.

She was taken to a nearby hospital where X-rays revealed that she had ingested drug bullets in an attempt to smuggle it into the country.

Highest number of bullets discovered

SAPS national spokesperson Athlenda Mathe has now confirmed that the woman has expelled 110 bullets since her arrest. The bullets are believed to contain cocaine.

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This is the highest number discovered in eight years.

“SAPS at OR Tambo International Airport say this is more than the average number of drug bullets typically carried by intercepted drug mules at the airport,” Mathe said.

She also cautioned people against risking their lives by getting involved in this type of criminality.

Doctor warns of dangers of ingesting drug bullets

Speaking exclusively to Briefly News, Dr Adri Landman warned about the dangers of mules ingesting drugs, particularly cocaine.

“Setting legal troubles aside, cocaine "packing" does not come without significant risk to the "mule". Stomach acid can cause the packaging to degrade, releasing an unpredictable amount of cocaine into the bloodstream,” she said.

“There is no antidote. The treatment is supportive (maintaining breathing, blood pressure, and other vital functions and managing the symptoms of ingestion). However, it can be fatal.

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“Drug mules and users alike should consider the high risk to their health. Cocaine is associated with heart attacks, brain bleeds and sudden death, including in what would otherwise have been considered young, healthy adults,” Dr Landman concluded.

Namibian woman arrested for drug smuggling

Briefly News recently reported on a story about a 30-year-old woman who was arrested for smuggling drugs into the country.

The Namibian national was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport after she arrived from São Paulo, Brazil.

Acting on information, law enforcement officials took her to a nearby hospital, where X-rays revealed that she had drug bullets inside her.

Source: Briefly News