Tourists Subjected to 'Devil's Breath' Drug, Causing Victims to Become 'Zombie-Like' for Thefts and Abductions
Colombian gangs have been using a powerful drug, known as "Devil's Breath" or scopolamine, to render tourists highly compliant and susceptible to suggestion, facilitating criminal activities such as kidnapping and robbery.
The drug, derived from the seeds of the Borrachero tree, is notorious for causing a trance-like state in its victims, leaving them unaware of their actions, surroundings, and sometimes the amount of the drug they consumed. Victims may wander around until the effects subside, which can vary based on dosage.
Scopolamine can be administered in various ways, including by dissolving it in substances like fruit juice, particularly grapefruit juice, which may enhance its effects by slowing the body's ability to break it down. The drug can also be absorbed through the skin by touching items like business cards soaked in it, unless the hands are washed immediately.
Victims under the influence become extremely susceptible to suggestions, often divulging secrets without remembering afterward. This makes them highly compliant and easier to manipulate. Some victims have reported losing their valuables, including money, PINs, and personal items, without putting up a fight.
Ingesting even small doses (as low as 10mg) can paralyze victims and render them highly vulnerable to attacks. The US Embassy in Bogotá has warned travelers to exercise caution when using online dating apps, as gangs are known to lure unsuspecting tourists and ply them with the drug via drinks, chewing gum, cigarettes, or even business cards soaked in the substance.
The body count of foreign visitors in Colombia has been rising, with foreign visitor deaths increasing by 29% last year, and robberies in Medellín alone soaring by 200% in the last quarter of 2023. In a incident that marked a first in the UK, scopolamine was used in 2019 to murder Irish dancer Adrian Murphy.
One of the largest criminal operations using scopolamine in Colombia is thought to be run by gang boss Carolina Mejía Montoya, nicknamed "The Queen of Scopolamine." She was arrested in Medellín after years of drugging and robbing foreign tourists in luxury apartments and hotels across the tourist hotspots of El Poblado and Parque Lleras.
Experts warn that the drug's subtle effects make it particularly dangerous, as victims often won't realize they have been exposed until it's too late, and many are too embarrassed to report it. According to the US Embassy in Bogotá, eight American citizens died in late 2023 alone from involuntary drug overdoses or suspected scopolamine-related homicides.
Professor Kamyar Afarinkia, a toxicology expert, explains, "You can get a business card, soak it in [scopolamine], let it dry and then give it to somebody. When they touch it, unless they wash their hands quickly, it gets absorbed under their skin." The drug's ability to render individuals highly compliant and suggestible makes it an attractive tool for criminals seeking to exploit victims for financial gain.
- The use of scopolamine, a powerful drug from the Borrachero tree seeds, often administered in drinks, chewing gum, cigarettes, or business cards, has been linked to an increase in medical-conditions such as amnesia and altered perception among victims, making them prime targets for crime-and-justice activities like robbery and kidnapping.
- Scopolamine's trance-like state can cause victims to behave uncharacteristically, divulging sensitive information like PINs and personal items without remembrance, thereby making them more susceptible to health-and-wellness risks, such as violent crimes or neurological disorders.
- As research in space-and-astronomy progresses, understanding the effects of drugs like scopolamine on the human brain could lead to insights about general-news topics such as memory loss, human behavior, and drug addiction, providing opportunities for health-and-wellness advancements and crime-prevention measures.
