Illicit Drug Transport




(1)
Department of Radiology, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA

 



Abstract

One of the consequences of the ongoing global revolution in transportation and telecommunications is an increasingly uneven distribution of wealth both between rich and poor countries and within national borders in underdeveloped countries. New businesses stimulated by the enhanced demand created by these rapidly advancing technologies have made available a range of products and services, most of which are a boon to humankind but others have created personal tragedies, social decay, and political instability. The transnational, even intercontinental, trade in illicit drugs is a prime example of the disruptive effects of high-speed travel and the instantaneous transfer of information. Today, the commerce in addictive substances such as marijuana, hashish, heroin, and cocaine in its various forms, including crack, has become a multibillion dollar worldwide industry. The fact that it is illegal in most jurisdictions heightens the risk but magnifies the profit for manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers [1].


One of the consequences of the ongoing global revolution in transportation and telecommunications is an increasingly uneven distribution of wealth both between rich and poor countries and within national borders in underdeveloped countries. New businesses stimulated by the enhanced demand created by these rapidly advancing technologies have made available a range of products and services, most of which are a boon to humankind, but others have created personal tragedies, social decay, and political instability. The transnational, even intercontinental, trade in illicit drugs is a prime example of the disruptive effects of high-speed travel and the instantaneous transfer of information. Today, the commerce in addictive substances such as marijuana, hashish, heroin, and cocaine in its various forms, including crack, has become a multibillion dollar worldwide industry. The fact that it is illegal in most jurisdictions heightens the risk but magnifies the profit for manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers [1].

All of these providers must be constantly aware of changing terms of trade to stay one step ahead of the authorities. One of the job opportunities, generated by the widespread but clandestine delivery of drugs from source to market, involves the need for individuals to transport products not affixed to their person, but in their body. Known as mules, or body packers, these adventurous travelers have accustomed themselves to swallowing large quantities of packaged drugs, keeping them hidden in their gastrointestinal tracts as they cross international boundaries. Some women have also utilized the vaginal vault as an auxiliary or prime storage site.

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Apr 27, 2016 | Posted by in GENERAL RADIOLOGY | Comments Off on Illicit Drug Transport

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