Thirty persons arrested at Frankfurt airport for smuggling internally
concealed cocaine in 1993/1994 were investigated. An X-ray examination
(in all 30 cases), immunochemical examination of urine (in 27 cases)
and of saliva (in 20 cases) was performed in parallel. An X-ray examin
ation gave positive results in all examined persons. EMIT(R) cocaine m
etabolite assay (cut off 300 ng benzoylecgonine (BE)/mL) was positive
in eight urine samples. After reducing the cut off to 150 ng BE/mL uri
ne, eleven samples were classified as positive. The results were confi
rmed by means of chromatographic determinations. These findings showed
limited role of immunological examination of urine as a screening tes
t in suspected smuggling of internally concealed drugs. All saliva sam
ples showed negative immunochemical results. The number of concealed c
ontainers ranged from 44 to 135 per person. The amount of cocaine hydr
ochloride found in particular cases ranged from 242 to 1050 g net weig
ht, divided into containers weighing from 5.7 to 13.8 g. Drug packages
were obviously machine-made. The packages smuggled by a particular pe
rson were uniform. However, a distinct interpersonal variability in dr
ug packages was observed, in regard to the number of protective layers
(4-7), size, weight, and cocaine purity. This may be helpful for the
identification of production site. The leaching of cocaine from select
ed containers was investigated in a stirring bath and was independent
of the conditions applied.