New theory emerges after woman mysteriously found dead with 26 iPhones glued to body

Police in Brazil are investigating the curious case of a woman who died with 26 iPhones glued to her body.

On 29 July a 20-year-old woman fell ill on a bus in Guarapuava while travelling from Foz do Iguaçu to São Paulo, according to Globo, and when the bus stopped at a restaurant she started having difficulty breathing.

Paramedics rushed over to help, but the woman's heart stopped and her breathing ceased, and despite working for 45 minutes to resuscitate her they were unable to do so.

An investigation found no drugs on the 20-year-old's person, but she did have several bottles of alcohol in her luggage, while police said that she rather strangely had 26 different iPhones stuck to her skin.

Some of the phones were old models which had been refurbished.

Investigators found 26 iPhones glued to her skin (Getty Stock Photo)

Police told local media in a statement: "The Paraná Civil Police are investigating the case and awaiting the conclusion of forensic reports to clarify the cause of death.

"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."

Why did the woman have 26 iPhones glued to her skin?

As for the reason why this woman had 26 iPhones glued to her body when she died, police said one line of investigation they were exploring was if the woman was illegally transporting the iPhones.

The 20-year-old woman died on a bus in Guarapuava, Brazil, and police have a theory as to what she was doing there (Getty Stock Photo)

Globo adds that investigators are currently trying to trace the origins of the various phones the woman had stuck on her body as they explore the theory that the 20-year-old had been trying to smuggle them.

Her body was sent to the Forensic Medical Institute for examination so that further work could be done to determine her exact cause of death.

While the details of exactly what the woman was doing on that bus with 26 iPhones glued to her skin are worked out, the investigation will look into their theory that she was illegally transporting electronic devices.

The identity of the woman has not been released to the public.

Smuggling smartphones on the rise in Brazil

According to Forbes, there has been a huge rise in smuggling smartphones in Brazil. In 2024, one in every four devices entered the country by illegal means, climbing from one in 10 since the start of 2023, according to analyst firm IDC.

That's the equivalent of 6.2 million smartphones, and most of them are apparently coming into the country from Paraguay.

It's not yet confirmed if the woman who died had been smuggling the 26 iPhones as police continue their investigation.