Across Colombia, Belgium, Sweden, the Netherlands, Portugal, and the United States, cocaine and synthetic opioids are reshaping communities in very different ways. This investigation follows coca production, international trafficking, youth recruitment, gang violence, drug markets, fentanyl, and xylazine while examining how organized crime and addiction intersect. Through law enforcement, community organizations, people with lived experience, and public health workers, the episode connects the global cocaine trade with European gang networks and the overdose crisis in North America, as well as prevention, treatment, and harm-reduction efforts.
VICE travels to Bogotá, Colombia, to investigate scopolamine, a drug notorious for its association with robberies, assaults, and stories of victims losing control of their actions. Through encounters with victims, dealers, and local experts, the investigation examines the effects and criminal use of scopolamine, its origins in poisonous plants, and its legitimate medical applications. It also explores the disturbing stories that have earned it the nickname "The Devil's Breath," while revealing how documented cases of drug-facilitated crime have become intertwined with sensationalized claims, mythology, and urban legends surrounding the drug.
