An intriguing incident unfolded at the U.S.-Mexico border when a woman identified by federal prosecutors as a resident of Tijuana was apprehended at the checkpoint. The woman’s name, Georgina Bribiesca Chavez, became a focal point of interest after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered a cache of 69 live animals within her vehicle. Hidden inside taped-shut pillowcases, the collection included venomous vipers, caimans, and even a baby crocodile, all tucked away in a secret compartment of her Volkswagen. This discovery was made the day after her arrest, as disclosed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
On August 10, Chavez, at the age of 66, attempted to cross into the United States via the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Her entry was halted when she was detained following a routine questioning session in which she reportedly claimed to have nothing to declare. A subsequent records check uncovered an outstanding warrant related to a broader investigation into wildlife trafficking, adding another layer of intrigue to this unusual case.
Customs and Border Protection officials moved swiftly to confiscate the Volkswagen. Yet, the true extent of Chavez’s alleged activities was not unveiled until a thorough inspection was conducted the next morning. Officers discovered a cleverly disguised factory compartment nestled behind the car’s rear seat. Inside, they found pillowcases tied and taped shut, effectively creating a covert sanctuary for the illicit cargo she was purportedly smuggling.
A previously circulated image shows Georgina Bribiesca Chavez at a Carlsbad outlet shopping center, dated March 5, 2025, and later at a San Diego shipping center amid the ongoing investigations into her alleged wildlife trafficking endeavors. The image is courtesy of the United States Department of Justice.
Adding to the officers’ surprise, one of the pillowcases exhibited movements, hinting at the anxious, live contents concealed within.
The bags were taken to the San Diego Zoo, where workers found 60 abronia lizards, four venomous yellow-blotched palm pit vipers, three caimans, a baby crocodile and an indigo snake, according to the DOJ.
Prosecutors said Chavez never told officers about the animals, leaving them inside the vehicle for nearly 24 hours in the August heat. All three caimans died. The other animals were stable and remained in the zoo’s care as of last week.
Chavez pleaded not guilty to a federal wildlife trafficking charge and was ordered held without bond. Her alleged trafficking partner, Salvador Pelayo, 28, of Chula Vista, was arrested in July and has also pleaded not guilty.
Protected turtles involved in an undercover federal investigation into an alleged wildlife trafficking operation across the U.S.-Mexico border. (United States Department of Justice)
The arrests followed an approximately 18-month undercover investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, though prosecutors allege Chavez and Pelayo had trafficked wildlife together since 2023 and made tens of thousands of dollars selling exotic animals.
During one alleged undercover transaction in March 2025, Chavez delivered four protected Mexican box turtles to an agent for $2,600 cash shortly after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. All four turtles later died after being transferred to the Oakland Zoo, prosecutors said. The turtles were already in poor health when they were acquired during the undercover operation and were believed to have been wild-caught and suffering from respiratory disease, according to prosecutors.
Pelayo is separately accused of using the alias “Jose Lopez” to ship four protected Mexican and Yucatan box turtles to an undercover agent in New York.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement is investigating the case with assistance from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
A baby crocodile, left, and another caiman are shown after being recovered from a vehicle at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The caimans died before San Diego Zoo workers could provide care, according to federal prosecutors. (United States Department of Justice)
Chavez and Pelayo face Lacey Act trafficking charges carrying a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.