Man caught trying to smuggle 300 CPUs strapped to his stomach
China's People Daily A man has been caught on a Chinese border attempting to smuggle 300 Intel CPUs strapped to their stomach. They were found at a border, with all goods confiscated by the authorities.
Smuggling items into China appears to be on the rise, with many going so far as to create a fake belly, or bundling graphics cards in with a crate full of live lobsters. This is due to the tax tariffs due in China when importing goods. Currently, China’s rate of VAT is at 13%, but for many prospective smugglers, traveling to a country where there are no duties, such as Hong Kong, might seem like an attractive option.
Despite repeated failed smuggling attempts, this has not deterred those from attempting to do so anyway. As reported by WCCFTech via China’s People Daily, on June 29, a man was caught trying to smuggle over 300 Intel CPUs strapped to his stomach.
The man was caught at the Qingmao Port inspection site, where customs officers noted that they were walking with an “abnormal posture”. Following further inspection, it was discovered that a total of 306 CPUs were found strapped to his body with plastic film. An image showcases how the smuggler strapped the processors to his stomach. It is also noted that additional products were fastened to his legs and back using plastic film and tape.
WCCFTech notes that the design of the CPUs immediately identifies them as being manufactured by Team Blue, as AMD’s Ryzen 7000 series processors have a much more pronounced design, with no capacitors on their rear.
Once found, the customs officers quickly seized the goods, and the incident is pending criminal investigation.
It’s not just hardware that’s being smuggled
According to China’s People Daily, it’s not just high-end PC hardware that’s being smuggled. At Futian Port on June 16, a man was caught attempting to smuggle through 112 copies of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The man appeared to be nervous, and while checking his luggage, they found the copies of Nintendo’s latest smash hit hidden in a pair of shoes.