
A suit of duct tape and iPhone armor.
China is a smuggler’s dream. It’s a land of exotic tastes and repressive government, which means that there are a lot of people willing to pay through the nose for what they want, and a lot of people willing to make a few extra dollars to get it to them. Given that China is two countries in one, thanks to Hong Kong and other relatively free zones, it makes smuggling that much more lucrative. A hop from Hong King to Shenzen, China, is a hop that can make a “shopping agent” a lot of cash provided they make it through customs. iPhones are super hot, and super easy to sneak around. One Chinese smuggler was caught with 94 iPhones taped to his body beneath his clothing.
The smuggler was caught thanks, in no small part, to the weird way in which he was moving. To have that many phones taped to your arms, legs, and torso is just asking for investigation, whether your pants are chirping or not. The phones, mostly iPhone 6 and 5s, were worth about $48,400. An unlocked iPhone sells for $852 in mainland China; the Hong Kong price is much cheaper at $720 per phone. Hence, the smuggling ring continues.
In 2013, a smuggler was caught with 66 iPhones. This smuggler is believed to have set a new high bar for iPhone smuggling in China.
Image: Chris Buckley on Twitter
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