Skip to main content

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  • Archived Content
    In an effort to keep CBP.gov current, the archive contains content from a previous administration or is otherwise outdated.
  1. Home
  2. Newsroom
  3. Local Media Release
  4. Mexican Woman Found Hiding in Trunk of Compact Car

Mexican Woman Found Hiding in Trunk of Compact Car

Release Date
Wed, 07/05/2017

TUCSON, Ariz. – Tucson Sector agents from the Sonoita Border Patrol Station working at the State Route 83 immigration checkpoint Monday discovered a 40-year-old Mexican woman hiding in the trunk of a Ford Focus.

Agents were talking to the 48-year-old female driver, identified as a U.S. citizen, a Border Patrol canine alerted to an odor it was trained to detect. Agents then opened the vehicle’s rear hatch and discovered the Mexican woman.

Woman hiding in trunk
Woman hiding in trunk

Agents arrested both women. The driver faces human-smuggling charges, while the Mexican national is being charged for immigration violations.

Border Patrol officials continue to warn that Arizona’s high temperatures can cause death for anyone riding in the trunk of a car. Other dangers include carbon monoxide poisoning or being crushed in a rear-end collision.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials welcome assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol and remain anonymous by calling 1-877-872-7435 toll free. Contacting the Border Patrol to report illicit activity could result in saving someone’s life.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021