Authorities in Brazil are investigating the death of a 20-year-old woman who died suddenly on a long-distance bus with 26 iPhones glued to her body.
The young woman, whose identity has not been made public, was traveling alone from Foz do Iguaçu to São Paulo when she became ill and collapsed on Tuesday (July 29).
The bus had stopped at a restaurant in Guarapuava, a city in the central region of Paraná, when she began to suffer from breathing difficulties. Witnesses said she complained of shortness of breath before losing consciousness, the New York Post reports.
Emergency services unable to revive her at the scene
Mobile Emergency Care Service (SAMU) responders were called to the scene and attempted resuscitation for 45 minutes, the Daily Mail reports.
They reported that the woman appeared conscious at first but began to show signs of respiratory distress before suffering a seizure and cardiac arrest. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The discovery: 26 iPhones glued to her skin
The Mirror reports that emergency personnel discovered several packages physically attached to her body following her death (some outlets have reported that the phones were discovered while paramedics were actively treating the woman).
Upon inspection, they were shocked to find 26 iPhones glued directly to her skin beneath her clothes. Brazilian outlet G1 later confirmed that some of the devices appeared to be refurbished models, per CTV News.
No drugs were detected on her person, though several bottles of alcohol were found in her luggage. The Daily Mail and Mirror reported that the cell phones were likely intended for illegal resale in São Paulo.
Suspected smuggling activity
The Paraná Civil Police and Scientific Police have launched an investigation into the case, and the woman’s body was sent to the Forensic Medical Institute. In a statement, authorities confirmed they are “awaiting the conclusion of forensic reports to clarify the cause of death.”
A spokesperson said: “According to preliminary information, the woman, who was alone, was traveling from Foz do Iguaçu to São Paulo. The 26 cell phones that were glued to her body were seized and sent to the Federal Revenue Service.”
According to Brazilian outlet Gazeta do Paraná, police suspect the phones were being smuggled, reinforcing a “hypothesis of illegal trafficking.”
No information has been released on who may have coordinated the transport.
iPhone smuggling on the rise in Brazil
The incident underscores Brazil’s growing problem with smartphone smuggling — particularly from neighboring Paraguay, where electronic goods are significantly cheaper.
According to H2FOZ, seizures of black market smartphones rose nearly 25% from January to May this year. Claudio Marques, a deputy delegate of Brazil’s Federal Revenue Service, told the outlet: “(Cellphone smugglers) pass through in small quantities and distribute them to the rest of Brazil.”
In one recent case, authorities intercepted 196 iPhones hidden in a false bottom of a truck on the Friendship Bridge connecting Paraguay and Brazil. Foz do Iguaçu, the woman’s departure point, is one of the most heavily trafficked smuggling corridors in the country.
Cause of death still unconfirmed
The exact cause of the woman’s death remains unknown. While she displayed symptoms consistent with post-seizure respiratory failure and cardiac arrest, investigators are still awaiting toxicology and forensic results to determine whether the items attached to her body contributed to the medical emergency.
For now, the case remains open — and serves as a chilling illustration of the personal risks tied to Brazil’s lucrative underground smartphone market.