The director of the National Cancer Institute (Incart), Dr. Jose Ramirez, alerts the population that a gang of foreigners is out there attempting to use toxic powder to control people and steal their assets. The powdered scopolamine, known in English as “devil’s breath” or “burundanga” in Spanish, is a chemical that, when blown into faces or absorbed through skin when soaked into paper, can render unsuspecting people incapacitated. The zombie-like state of the victims with no ability to control their actions leaves these at the mercy of the criminals. The criminals then lead their victims to empty their bank accounts or allow their homes to be robbed.
Dr. Jose Ramirez told the story of how he almost became a victim of one of these criminals. He said that when he left his office, he noticed that a person who looked like a foreigner was following him. When he got to his vehicle, he questioned the follower, who responded with a Portuguese accent that he was a surgeon stranded in the country and would like help communicating with his family.
Upon realizing the situation, the doctor asked for the man to keep his distance, while he boarded his vehicle.
“The guy then took out a piece of paper from his shorts and told me that this was his family’s phone number, that I should dial that phone number for him,” he explained.
Instead, Dr. Ramirez said he would call the police. Then the man ran away and got into a gray Jeep SUV and sped off.
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Diario Libre
6 December 2023