Criminal use of carbamazepine: A case of drug-facilitated captivity in Lubumbashi, DR Congo

A man was kidnapped and then drugged during a 5-day captivity. After his release, he exhibited various neurological symptoms (inability to walk independently, drowsiness, difficulties to speak, dizziness, headache and a dry mouth). Toxicological analyses of blood and urine samples obtained 3 days after his release revealed therapeutic levels of carbamazepine and its active metabolite in both blood and urine, along with metronidazole and nicotinamide. Carbamazepine has hitherto not been implicated in drug-related crimes. This case highlights the potential misuse of easily available therapeutic drugs for criminal purposes in low-income countries and illustrates the value of prompt international collaboration to elucidate etiologies in forensic toxicology.