Three Arizona women were arrested July 25 after $13 million in heroin was allegedly found in a hidden compartment of their 2004 Dodge 2500 pickup.

According to an affidavit of probable cause obtained from the office of District Judge Michael Faulkner, State Trooper Jonathan Gerken was conducting a traffic stop on the truck driven by Martha Coughanour-Flores, 56, of Tuscon, Ariz., after he saw it following a SUV too closely on I-78 East, Upper Macungie.

Trooper Gerken states Coughanour-Flores said she and passengers, Enjoli Monique Ward, 33, and Anna Maria Chavez, 55, also from Arizona, were going to Niagara Falls, N.Y.

The three women allegedly gave conflicting statements, Gerken states in the affidavit.

"I observed numerous cell phones present in the front passenger compartment and the luggage present was not consistent with the length of their travel plans," Gerken states.

Coughanour-Flores was issued a written warning for following too closely and all her documents were returned to her before she gave both verbal and written consent for Trooper Michael C. Kalinchock and K-9 Ripple to conduct an exterior and interior search of the truck.

According to the affidavit, K-9 Ripple displayed alert behavior for the presence of an odor coming from an aftermarket hidden compartment between the front driver's side door and front passenger side wheel well.

After access was gained to the compartment, approximately 13 kilograms of suspected heroin, packaged in brown tape, was found in the compartment.

The suspected heroin was seized, field tested and postive results were allegedly obtained.

According to Lehigh County Court records, Coughanour-Flores and Chavez were charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture, deliver or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver.

All three women were charged with one count of knowingly and intentionally possessing a controlled or counterfeit substance by a person not registered, possessing an instrument of a crime with intent to manufacture, deliver or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver.

Ward was charged with an additional count of manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver.

Coughanour-Flores, Chavez and Ward were arraigned July 26 before District Judge Daniel C. Trexler, Coopersburg.

They were remanded to Lehigh County Prison in lieu of $1 million monetary bail.