Woman Arrested at U.S.-Mexico Border with 69 Exotic Animals

A woman identified by federal prosecutors as a resident of Tijuana was detained at the U.S.-Mexico border. This arrest came before U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers found 69 live animals, including venomous vipers, caimans, and a baby crocodile. The animals were allegedly packed inside taped-shut pillowcases within a hidden compartment of her Volkswagen, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.

Georgina Bribiesca Chavez, 66, from Tijuana, was arrested on August 10 while attempting to cross into the U.S. via the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The Justice Department stated Chavez reportedly informed a CBP officer she had nothing to declare, but a records check revealed an outstanding warrant related to a wildlife trafficking investigation.

Although CBP seized the Volkswagen, the animals were not found until an inspection the following morning. Officers discovered a concealed compartment behind the rear seat containing pillowcases that were knotted and sealed with tape.

One of the pillowcases appeared to be moving.

The bags were transported to the San Diego Zoo, where workers identified 60 abronia lizards, four venomous yellow-blotched palm pit vipers, three caimans, a baby crocodile, and an indigo snake, as reported by the DOJ. Chavez did not disclose the presence of the animals, leaving them in the vehicle for nearly 24 hours in the August heat. Unfortunately, all three caimans died. The other animals remained stable and were under the zoo’s care as of last week.

Chavez pleaded not guilty to a federal wildlife trafficking charge and was held without bond. Her alleged partner, Salvador Pelayo, 28, from Chula Vista, was arrested earlier in July and also entered a not-guilty plea.

The arrests were a result of an approximately 18-month undercover operation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Prosecutors allege Chavez and Pelayo had been trafficking wildlife since 2023, profiting tens of thousands of dollars by selling exotic animals.

In 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. These turtles were in poor condition, and all four died after being transferred to the Oakland Zoo. Prosecutors stated they were believed to have suffered from respiratory disease and were wild-caught.

Pelayo is separately accused of shipping four protected Mexican and Yucatan box turtles to an undercover agent in New York using the alias “Jose Lopez.” The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement continues to investigate this case, with support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Chavez and Pelayo face charges under the Lacey Act, which carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.