A tragic incident involving a 20-year-old woman has captured global attention after she was discovered with 26 iPhones attached to her body. The young woman passed away on July 29 while traveling to São Paulo, Brazil.
Reports suggest that she experienced breathing difficulties before suffering a cardiac arrest. Despite emergency services performing CPR for 45 minutes, they were unable to save her life.
In a surprising development, authorities found numerous iPhones glued to her body, and further inspection of her luggage revealed additional cellphones and alcoholic beverages.
The Paraná Civil Police stated, according to NDTV World: “The Paraná Civil Police are investigating the case and awaiting the conclusion of forensic reports to clarify the cause of death.”
They further mentioned: “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.”
Sniffer dogs did not find any drugs on her or in her luggage. It is believed she might have been smuggling phones, explaining why they were hidden under her clothing.
The seized devices have been handed over to Brazil’s Federal Revenue Service, and authorities are now waiting for forensic analysis results.
The woman’s body has been transferred to the Forensic Medical Institute for further examination.
Brazil has reportedly faced a significant increase in smartphone smuggling recently. H2FOX noted that in the first five months of 2025, the seizure of smuggled devices surged by 25 percent, amounting to R$180 million in smartphones, according to a report obtained by the news outlet.
Previous data also show concerning trends in phone smuggling. Forbes reported that at the start of 2023, illegal phone sales comprised nine percent, which rose to 25 percent by the end of the year.
Daily figures suggest that approximately 10,000 cellphones are illegally brought into Brazil.
This rise is attributed to the high cost of smartphones in Brazil due to local taxes. As of last year, the iPhone 16 retailed for a staggering $1,396, according to BGR, whereas the same phone starts at $799 in the U.S.
UNILAD has reached out to the Paraná Civil Police for additional comments.