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67 pounds of pot found in casket after hearse stopped near Tombstone

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TUCSON, Ariz. — Border patrol agents stopped a hearse near Tombstone, Arizona Saturday evening at an immigration checkpoint – and discovered 67 pounds of marijuana hidden inside a casket.

Agents working an immigration checkpoint spotted a white hearse traveling north of Tombstone and ultimately conducted an immigration vehicle stop at the intersection of Highway 90 and Highway 82, according to a press release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection for Arizona

Border patrol agents encountered “several inconsistencies” during the stop and requested a K-9 unit. The dog alerted agents to the presence of drugs, and a search found the marijuana concealed inside the casket in the hearse.

There were also several bags of manure in the load, which border patrol agents say was an attempt to disguise the smell of the marijuana. The hearse and drugs were seized by authorities.

The driver, a 28-year-old U.S. citizen whom authorities did not identify, was arrested for alleged narcotics smuggling.