BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - APRIL 24: Confiscated capsules containing about 15 grams of cocaine each are displayed at the Brussels Federal Police station on April 24, 2007 in the Belgian capital Brussels. 350 kg of marijuana and 15 kg of cocaine were seized in downtown Brussels. The marijuana was ready to be transported to the UK in plastic tubes. In a sceond seizure an African was caught at Brussels airport having swallowed 90 capsules containing 15 grams of cocaine each. (Photo by Mark Renders/Getty Images) (2007 Getty Images)
An 11-year-old Colombian girl is in critical condition after doctors removed 104 cocaine-filled capsules from her stomach that her father made her swallow in an attempt to smuggle drugs to Europe.
Police said the girl’s father took her to a hospital in Cali, south of Bogota. He was spotted on a closed circuit television rushing Monday into the emergency room with his daughter in his arms, then leaving coolly minutes later.
The capsules contained about a half-kilogram (more than a pound) of narcotics, police said.
Police, searching for the father, raided the family’s home and said they found a plane ticket to Madrid in the girl’s name. They also found other documents showing the man had traveled to Barcelona less than a month ago, according to Gen. Hoover Penilla, commander of the Cali police.
“In 30 years of service, I’ve seen all kinds of strategies to smuggle drugs to other countries, almost always with minors or seniors, but nothing as reprehensible as this,” he told the Associated Press.
Colombia’s child welfare institute said it will take custody of the child.
Based on reporting by The Associated Press.
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