A British teacher died after swallowing a bag of cocaine at Manchester Airport in a bid to smuggle it back to Dubai, an inquest has concluded. Victoria Buchanan, 42, ingested the drug after realising it was still in her possession while checking in for her flight home in March.
The mother-of-three had bought 4g of cocaine for £200 during a visit to the UK. She swallowed the remaining quarter of the drug in a re-sealable bag while sipping champagne in the first-class lounge. The bag burst in her stomach, causing her to collapse and go into cardiac arrest.
Onlookers initially thought she was suffering anaphylactic shock and administered an epipen for her palm oil allergy. She was taken to Wythenshawe Hospital, where she died of brain damage. The cocaine bag was discovered during a post-mortem examination.
Assistant coroner Andrew Bridge recorded a conclusion of death by misadventure. He stated that the cocaine in her system came from the swallowed bag, and that there was no evidence of coercion or criminal activity. A toxicology report showed recreational levels of cocaine but high levels of its metabolite, consistent with excessive use.
Victoria's husband, Mark, told the inquest that they occasionally used cocaine together and that she would have refused to smuggle it if asked. Police reviewed CCTV footage and found no suggestion she was approached by anyone. Her parents expressed shock, saying they had no suspicion of drug use.
