BOY, 12, STABLE AFTER SWALLOWING 87 HEROIN PACKETS

A 12-year-old boy who swallowed 87 packets of heroin to smuggle them into
the US from London was recovering in hospital today.

The child, who is a US citizen but has been living with relatives in
Nigeria for two years, arrived alone in New York on a British Airways
flight on Wednesday night, police said.

He suffered severe stomach pains after taking a taxi from LaGuardia airport
and was rushed to New York Hospital in Queens. He was in a stable condition
today after most of the packets were successfully removed.

The boy was charged with juvenile delinquency and possession of a
controlled substance. Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said he would
be prosecuted as a juvenile.

Authorities said they did not know for whom the boy was allegedly carrying
the drugs, but said he had been promised $US1,900 ($A3,575).

His father is believed to be in prison in the US accused of trying to
recruit drugs couriers, Fox News reported.