Tahiti probe into drug smuggler's death

12:42 pm on 26 March 2019

An investigation has been opened in French Polynesia into last year's death of a man in his forties believed to have died as a result of smuggled drugs he had swallowed.

macro shot of Crystal Methamphetamine

macro shot of Crystal Methamphetamine Photo: wikipedia commons

The broadcaster La Premiere said the theory is that swallowed pellets filled with methamphetamine burst a day after he returned from Los Angeles.

It said police have exhumed the body and found about 40 pellets filled with the banned drugs in it.

The investigation was launched after a recent drugs trial at which one of the accused made reference to the man's fate.

French Polynesia is grappling with a hard drugs problem and last year, 130 people were charged with methamphetamine-related offences.

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