Two Arizona women were arrested in separate incidents this week after one of them tried to smuggle 7,800 AK-47 rounds into Mexico and another tried to smuggle into the U.S. more than 250 pounds of marijuana, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers said.
Ambar Esthela Morales, 23, of Tucson, was arrested Wednesday after officers inspected her Ford SUV as it was entering into Mexico and discovered ammunition, Customs and Border Protection officers said.
Morales hid the steel-cased ammunition inside a bag of dog food as well as inside the back quarter panels of her SUV, according to officials.
Another woman, 36-year-old Christina Carrizoza of Douglas, was arrested after drug dogs alerted authorities to her Chrysler PT Cruiser, a Customs and Border Protection statement said. Officers reported finding 256 pounds of marijuana inside her vehicle.
Officers said the marijuana was concealed throughout the vehicle, including underneath the hood and spare tire, and was estimated to be worth about $128,000.
Both women were handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and officials said all of the evidence was seized.
