Colombia - Devils Breath, Scopolamine

[SouthOfTheBorder]

From todays New York Times about drugging/robbing sex tourists in Medellin 

This topic comes up in forums from time-to-time with most dismissing it as urban myth or similar.  NYT has a paywall, but I think first few articles can be free to read.  

As the article suggests, these type crimes - drugging & robbing tourists in search of sex are greatly underreported and far more common than people think 

A Hazard for Visitors to Colombia: ‘Devil’s Breath’

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/23/world/americas/colombia-dating-apps-sedatives-deaths.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Edited January 24 by SouthOfTheBorder

[SouthOfTheBorder]

and a 2023 warning from US Embassy in Colombia 

 

 

[MscleLovr]

It’s not just in Colombia. I know of a few incidents in Cape Town, South Africa where it was used on young men and women.

[SouthOfTheBorder]

5 hours ago, MscleLovr said:

It’s not just in Colombia

yes - drugging & robbing happens everywhere now.  

The thing that seems unique here is the method, scopolamine- which is a native plant in Colombia & very easy to access.  Its use disorients the victim & makes them easy to manipulate while still conscious to get credit cards, cash & electronics with passwords to empty bank accounts, identity theft and more.   The victim can still appear coherent to others that might be watching & taking notice.  
The new wave of scopolamine victims are selected in advance via dating apps instead of random targets in bars, street, etc   The thieves are overwhelmingly targeting male tourists looking for sex. They are not stealing passports or other travel documents in the hope the victims will leave the country soon after being robbed. 

it was interesting to read the reader comments in NYT - many people said the tourists deserved what they got.  Not a lot of sympathy from the Colombians either.  Beware 

Edited January 26 by SouthOfTheBorder

[+ nycman]

9 hours ago, SouthOfTheBorder said:

scopolamine- which is a native plant in Colombia & very easy to access.

Minor correction.

"Scopolamine" is not a plant.

Scopolamine is the name of the chemical that can be derived from several different (and easily obtainable) plants. 

"Scopolia" is a genus of plants (there are others) from which you can extract scopolamine and from which scopolamine gets its name. 

Bio / Chem nerd….sorry. 

 

 

[EZEtoGRU]

15 hours ago, MscleLovr said:

It’s not just in Colombia. I know of a few incidents in Cape Town, South Africa where it was used on young men and women.

Exactly.  These sort of attacks have been going on in Brazil for decades.  I remember it being discussed when I lived in Sao Paulo from 2005-2007 and even before that.  One can google "Boa Noite Cinderela"  (good night Cinderela) and find ample information about it going way back.  Apparently, it's still happening in Rio with female prostitutes using it on foreign tourists/customers.

[SouthOfTheBorder]

13 hours ago, nycman said:

Scopolamine is the name of the chemical that can be derived from several different (and easily obtainable) plants.

good catch - thank you.  In Colombia Devils Breath is derived from the flower of the “borrachero” shrub  which is very common  there.

I think the urban myth is that the powder can be blown into the face or touch other parts of the body.  In reality - it is put into food or drink.

[delzyn03]

Makes me wary of partaking in any nightclub or escort activity in Colombia. I have other reasons to go - maybe just stick to those? Then again these things can happen anywhere in the world.

On the topic of the article's comments blaming the victims for engaging in "sex tourism", I find it unfortunate the stigma applied to the entire industry. Especially when I think its safe to say most if not all of the people on this forum treat providers with respect.

[SouthOfTheBorder]

On 2/4/2024 at 4:34 AM, delzyn03 said:

Especially when I think its safe to say most if not all of the people on this forum treat providers with respect.

the people targeting visiting tourists wherever aren’t real providers - they are thieves & criminals.
if you give it some thought, the typical tourist looking for sex is the perfect target.  A relatively wealthy foreign tourist,  has cash & valuables, traveling alone, usually drinking & hiring unknown people for intimate encounters in unfamiliar environments - and probably not able to speak the language. then add in corrupt police & not a great scenario.

true - this type of crime can happen anywhere.  The recent NYT article & State Department warning was specifically about Colombia though & a recent surge of criminals using scopolamine in context of robbing tourists who are using apps to meet people.   These crimes are vastly underreported- most victims just leave asap.