Translated to English from El Colombian(1211 reported, likely much more due to obvious reasons)
In Antioquia there have been 1,211 robberies with the use of scopolamine this year
Of these, 304 were in Medellín, which represents an increase of 6% compared to 2022. Although authorities highlight a reduction in the scourge in recent months, they accept that there is an alert for December.
November 23, 2023
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10
minutes it can take for scopolamine to take effect on victims once ingested.
What was going to be a night of partying ended up being a nightmare for Luis* due to a scopolamine robbery. Today, more than 11 months later, he continues to suffer from the consequences of this substance used by robbers.
In 2023, there will already be 304 cases of theft from people through the supply of scopolamine in Medellín. Only between July and August (Flower Fair) there were 103 registrations. The global figure represents 6% more compared to the 286 in 2022, a figure that does not seem high but may give signs of under-reporting since many people do not report out of shame. And December is still missing.
“That was on Saturday, January 23, at around 11:00 pm He went into a business near La Mayorista to have a few beers. There one of those girls from there approached him to talk to him and from one moment to the next he felt that his lights went out,” commented a person close to the man.
As Luis later recalled, the woman at some point during the conversation caressed his face, which he immediately rejected. “Although her bald girl stayed next to her insisting, he continued drinking the beer and after a while he was ready. The little he remembers is that the same girl told him to go to the cashier. He says that he felt distracted, sleepy. And she insisted on the ATM password so they could go get money. She then felt them grab him from her arms and put him in a taxi. And up to that point he knows,” he narrated.
According to the family member, Luis appeared the next day at his house after having been transferred by members of the Itagüí Police to the Protection Transfer Center of this municipality, where they found him disoriented on a sidewalk in the Santa María neighborhood. They never took him to a medical center
“I was without a watch, without a wallet, without a cell phone, like very high. He lasted like 10 hours. That same Sunday, withdrawals from his savings card began to appear at businesses in Campo Valdés from $400,000 to $1,200,000, as well as purchases at pharmacies . Everything added up to more than $7 million,” added the relative, indicating that although she had alerted the bank, it was of no use to the thieves to get her money.
Find out: Thefts with scopolamine increased, take care of yourself
That same week Luis filed a complaint with the Prosecutor's Office, just last Monday he was summoned to a hearing in which he was not told that he had to bring a lawyer. However, a lawyer from the bank was present there and offered him a “way out.” “The bank proposed that we assume 50% of the losses or else start a legal process. We don't have the means to afford a lawyer so we had to accept," they commented.
The issue of theft through the use of scopolamine is an issue that has been around for some time in the city, however, with the change in certain dynamics such as the massive arrival of tourists, it has become more frequent.
And if in Medellín the theft from people with this modality is already critical, in Antioquia the situation is also worrying because if the thefts of cars, motorcycles, residences and businesses with this method are also counted, the number of robberies with scopolamine reaches 1,211 cases in this 2023 .
You may be interested in: DEA agent ended up being a victim of scopolamine in Bogotá: this is his story
Although there are people who indicate that the methods for poisoning victims have varied, for now the most common way remains through ingestion camouflaged in food or drinks, which can last about 10 to 20 minutes for it to take effect . .
“There are many people who say that they were victims after being made to smell perfume or soap, or even being sprayed with powder,” commented a researcher on the subject.
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The toxicologist from the University of Antioquia, Hugo Gallego, commented that as is popularly known, scopolamine in its pure state is obtained from the drunk tree. However, due to the effects that this causes, criminals mix it with sedatives and painkillers to make it easier to handle the victim in a state of submission.
“In the analyzes carried out, benzodiazepines, antidepressants, phenothiazines have been found because with scopolamine alone it is common for a patient's symptoms of poisoning to present dilated pupils, red skin - especially on the face and neck -, dry mouth and tongue. , as well as a certain restlessness and restlessness that makes them speak very harshly. Therefore, to avoid the symptoms, criminals use sedatives and thus do not attract attention and maintain control over the victim,” he explained.
Toxicologist Gallego mentioned that unfortunately scopolamine does not alter the taste of the products in which it is supplied and its detection in the body requires a fairly complex process.
Now, regarding the consequences left by poisoning, Gallego commented that these can last between one and six hours, although there are serious cases whose effects have lasted up to three days.
“In addition, these mixtures can have temporary effects on the heart with arrhythmias or heart attacks; They can cause drowsiness that leads to trauma due to a fall; They can cause psychosis and if you have a psychiatric history, it upsets them. They can also cause risks of dehydration and memory loss,” noted the expert, who indicated that these can be accompanied by episodes of nightmares or nervous
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