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Alleged drug mule in hospital after trafficking half kilo of cocaine

A man is “lucky to be alive” after a package allegedly containing cocaine, which he smuggled from Los Angeles to Brisbane, exploded in his stomach.

Adrien Van Langenhove travelled 12,000km, arriving at Brisbane International Airport on Monday about 9pm.

It's alleged he made it through customs with more than half a kilogram of cocaine when he began to suffer stomach pains.

He sought help from a nearby pharmacy, and they called paramedics who rushed him to Royal Brisbane Hospital.

Seven News has been told he tried to leave but doctors told him if he left he would die.

It's alleged Adrien Van Langenhove was carrying more than a kilogram of cocaine in his stomach. Source: 7 News
It's alleged Adrien Van Langenhove was carrying more than a kilogram of cocaine in his stomach. Source: 7 News

Dr Andrew Smirnov said if the amount of cocaine Mr Van Langenhove allegedly had on him was absorbed into his stomach it would be “too much for the body to handle” and he’s “lucky to be alive”.

He has since been placed into an induced coma and underwent emergency surgery to remove dozens of pellets.

Each one has to be individually weighed while the foreigner remains under police guard.

There were more than 2700 cocaine detections at the Australian border between 2015-2016. Source: 7 News
There were more than 2700 cocaine detections at the Australian border between 2015-2016. Source: 7 News

Dr Smirnov said the demand for cocaine is growing.

“The cliche around cocaine use has been true, it's sort of a white-collar drug for people who've got money, but it is becoming more widespread,” he said.

In 2015-16 there were a record 2777 cocaine detections at the Australian border.

Just over one per cent of importations were on a person - the vast majority comes through the mail.

The AFP is investigating but Mr Van Langenhove is yet to be charged.