title: Abdominal radiography in suspected 'body packers'.
abstract: Drug smuggling by intra-abdominal concealment is now a world-wide problem. This paper describes the establishment of a plain radiography service to assist customs officers of Manchester International Airport (MIA) in their work. Over a 2 1/2 year period, 158 suspected 'body packers' were radiographed, resulting in nine positive detections. The existence of the service has resulted in the apparent abandonment of MIA as a port of entry by an organized group of cocaine smugglers. Practical and ethical problems are described. This service is felt to be essential by the customs officers and a valuable service to society by the radiologists and hospital authorities concerned.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester.
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Horrocks
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen; D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008297:Male; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs