Bungled smuggling op or forced ingestion? U.S. producer dead of cocaine OD in Uganda

Did Amazing Race producer die from a cocaine-smuggling overdose? Fixer
found dead in a Ugandan hotel had large quantities of the drug in his stomach (Daily Mail)

Mystery surrounds the death of a freelance TV producer found in his hotel room in Uganda after local police claimed he had large quantities of cocaine in his stomach.

The lifeless body of Jeff Rice, who worked as a fixer on the reality show the Amazing Race, was discovered with his production assistant. Catherine Fuller was found unconscious in the same room and is critically ill in hospital.

An autopsy found large quantities of cocaine in Rice's stomach, leading to speculation that the pair were involved in a botched smuggling operation. But TV sources claimed the pair were forced to ingest the drug after a failed shakedown.
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the rest of this odd tale, with pictures, at link above

But TV sources claimed the pair were forced to ingest the drug after a failed shakedown.

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What does that even mean, a "failed shakedown"? Any ideas, godot?

At least here in the States, cocaine is too expensive to use as a poison.

Nova said:

What does that even mean, a "failed shakedown"? Any ideas, godot?

At least here in the States, cocaine is too expensive to use as a poison.

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Some sort of fee charged "fixer" producers for use of something-or-another?

Yes, cocaine's a bit rich to serve as a poison, one would think.

wfgodot said:

Some sort of fee charged "fixer" producers for use of something-or-another?

Yes, cocaine's a bit rich to serve as a poison, one would think.

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Sorry, I should have been clearer. I watch Amazing Race, so I know what he did for a living: contestants fly into a country, travel locally and compete in various challenges before heading to another country. It would have been Mr. Rice's job to make arrangements for local activities (apparently throughout Africa).

The contestants travel around the world, but they almost always stop in Africa because it is not only large and diverse, but relatively safe for foreign travelers. (There are two "seasons" per year, so contestants would come through every six months. And Amazing Race wasn't the only show he did.)

None of Rice's professional duties would have required him to swallow cocaine.

The article seems suggest that he and his assistant may have been forced by criminals to ingest cocaine in a "failed shakedown". That's the scenario I can't imagine. "Give me your money or I'll make you eat cocaine" doesn't sound likely to my ear.

Yet eating cocaine isn't the way one uses that drug for pleasure either.