Estonian swallowed 69 capsules of cocaine

A 19-YEAR-OLD Estonian died from acute cardio-respiratory failure after he swallowed 69 capsules of cocaine, an inquest in Limerick heard yesterday.

Maksim Gorbov, from Narva in Estonia, complained of being unwell to the cabin crew on board a KLM flight from Peru to Amsterdam and the plane was diverted to Shannon Airport on December 28.

Dr Jeoffrey de Freitas, pathologist at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, who carried out an autopsy on the deceased, said that death was due to acute cardio-respiratory failure associated with ingestion of toxic amounts of cocaine.

He found 69 packages in Mr Gorbov’s body. They were covered in pink or orange wax around the capsules which had eroded.

Det Sgt Con McCarthy of the Divisional Drugs Unit, Henry Street garda station, said at about 4.30pm he went to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital.

The 19-year-old passenger had been X-rayed, which revealed a number of the capsules in his lower bowel.

“I remained at the hospital and I became aware the passenger had passed 25 capsules of suspected cocaine which I took possession of,” said Det Sgt McCarthy.

Mr Gorbov’s condition deteriorated and he died at 1.50am.

Det Sgt McCarthy notified the next-of-kin in Estonia of the young man’s death.

A verdict of death due to misadventure was returned by a jury and the coroner for south east Limerick, Dr Tony Casey.