An eight-year-old boy from the Ivory Coast was found in a fetal position stashed in a suitcase on Thursday. The failed smuggling attempt into Spanish borders happened in El Tarajal. 

El Tarajal serves as a terrestrial gateway to Spain from the border of Morocco.

Last Thursday, a 21-year-old woman showing signs of nervousness aroused the suspicion of the El Tarajal police, as she tried to cross the border carrying the suitcase. The authorities' initial suspicion was a drug smuggling case.

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"Our officers asked her if she needed help as the wheels began to gave in," said the spokesman.

The police requested the suitcase to be surrendered and be examined for an X-ray. The X-ray showed the boy tucked in the suitcase, pressed against a few belongings. The boy was deemed to be locked in the suitcase for hours and identified himself as Abou upon climbing out of the suitcase.

Doctors examined Abou to check if he was fine and was whisked away by a child custodian, to await judicial process. The boy is now in Spain's custody.

"This could have had a tragic end," said the spokesman from Spanish police.

The police located a woman, identified as the boy's mother, who admitted that she was waiting for her son to arrive in Spain. The mother is a temporary visa card holder in Canary Islands, a Spanish territory, and was arrested along with the woman who carried the suitcase containing.

The boy's father was also identified and arrested almost two hours later trying to get past the Spanish border. The father, identified only as A.O. will await charges filed against him.

The 21-year old woman was promised a huge sum if she could successfully smuggle Abou into Spain.

Tagsboy, inside suitcase, botched smuggling attempt, Spain, smuggling case in Spain, worst smuggling cases in history