By Canadian Press

67 pounds of marijuana found in casket at Arizona checkpoint

May 1, 2017 | 6:00 PM

TOMBSTONE, Ariz. — Border Patrol agents have seen numerous ways people try to smuggle drugs across the Arizona border in recent years. They can now add marijuana hidden in a casket to the list.

Agents working an immigration checkpoint in southern Arizona said they stopped a hearse last weekend and found 67 pounds of marijuana inside a mahogany coffin.

The multiple bricks of marijuana had an estimated street value of more than $33,000, Border Patrol officials said Monday.

The hearse carrying the casket was stopped Saturday evening on State Route 80 near Tombstone.

Agents said the driver — a 28-year-old U.S. citizen — gave inconsistencies information and a canine unit was brought in to check the hearse.

Question of the Week

DO YOU BELIEVE KAMLOOPS SHOULD RESTRICT ACCESS TO GREEN SPACES AMID ONGOING WILDFIRE AND DROUGHT CONDITIONS?

Aug 10, 2026

Looped In

LOOPED IN WITH NIKKI OMEN: August 10, 2026

Aug 10, 2026

1000 Ways to Heal

1000 WAYS TO HEAL: Every gift has a giver

Aug 10, 2026

The drug-smelling dogs alerted agents despite several bags of manure that had been placed inside the casket in an attempt to conceal the marijuana odour.

The driver, whose name hasn’t been released, was arrested on suspicion of narcotics smuggling, Border Patrol officials said.

In recent years, Arizona agents have found drugs taped to the bodies of some smugglers, seen ultralight aircraft try to drop drug shipments in the desert and seized bundles of marijuana that were shot from Mexico with devices such as air-powered cannons and catapults.

The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

Click here to report an error or typo in this article

67 pounds of marijuana found in casket at Arizona checkpoint

Our Community