Check out the weekly article below by one of our ministry partners Donna McKinley, founder of McKinley Reports.

by Donna Funderburke McKinley

Scopolamine, street name “Devil’s Breath,” a natural, home-grown drug popular in Columbia, like the date-rape drug, it is colorless, odorless and tasteless. The drug is slipped into drinks, sprinkled on food, or the powder is blown into the face of the victim. Because the drug blocks the formation of all memories, victims cannot testify against their assailants. “In one common scenario, a person will be offered a soda or drink laced with the substance,” a 1995 Wall Street article reported… “The next thing the person remembers is waking up miles away, extremely groggy and with no memory of what happened. People soon discover that they have handed over jewelry, money, car keys and sometimes have even made multiple bank withdrawals for the benefit of their assailants.”

Victims look normal but become completely submissive in a temporary zombie state. Unlike the date rape drug, where memories can be recalled via hypnosis, Scopolamine victims never retrieve their memory of what happened to them. Women in Columbia have reported being repeatedly gang raped for days, their children stolen and sold and others have their homes robbed and their bank accounts cleaned out.

Borrachero, the tree from which scopolamine is harvested grows wild and plentiful in Columbia. So much so, young children are warned not to lounge under the tree. So potent is the tree that the pollen alone can create vivid dreams. Just a few seeds will kill a person. The alkaloid from the plant is used legally for medicinal purposes, from Parkinson’s to motion sickness. However, the pure, cheap scopolamine is easy to find.

History:

Legend has it that Colombian Indian tribes used the drug to bury alive the wives and slaves of fallen chiefs, so that they could accompany their men to the afterworld. Nazi Joseph Mengele, known as the “Angel of Death” used scopolamine as an interrogation drug. The drug was also used in the early 20th century to help in childbirth.

The Wall Street Journal reported in 1995 that the use of Burandanga was increasing by immigrant Columbian criminal gangs in the U.S. However, it seems that the misuse of this drug is for the most part confined to Columbia. There are so many cases in fact, that many never make the news. Kidnapping, rapes, robberies and murders are common in Columbia, criminals abound. The U.S. Embassy in Bogata recognizes the dangers of scopolamine that the staff offer tips on how to avoid being victimized. Three U.S. government employees were drugged and robbed while visiting Bogata and other American visitors reportedly show up at the embassy for help.

Recently, a documentary on the drug was aired on Vice.com. We know from experience that as soon as the media reports on a new drug it becomes common in the U.S. You have been warned.