It hasn’t been even three weeks since we last heard about what seems to be a Chinese pastime: attempting to smuggle technology into the country without paying taxes.
And we now have to add another incident to the list. This time, nearly 1,000 Intel processors valued at over $137,000 have been discovered hidden in the engine compartment of a cross-border bus.
Tom’s Hardware reports that this recent attempt was thwarted as the smugglers tried to pass through the Gongbei Port, connecting Macau and Zhuhai in China.
Selling Next-Gen Processors and Evading Taxes: Their Aim
Customs officials became suspicious when examining digital images of a cross-border bus. A closer inspection revealed that it had been modified to conceal contraband items, specifically 780 Intel processors this time.
Reportedly, the CPUs were relatively recent models, including 12th-generation Alder Lake chips and 13th-generation Raptor Lake chips. The entire haul is estimated to be valued at over one million yuan, approximately $137,341. This translates to an average value of around $176 per CPU.
We’ve witnessed various imaginative ways of evading Chinese customs inspections. Most individuals tie hardware to their bodies, while incidents have also involved 84 SSD units hidden on a scooter and 200 CPUs concealed in a fake pregnant belly.
An individual attempted to smuggle 30 million Hong Kong dollars (around 3.8 million USD) worth of electronic products through the Man Kam To checkpoint from Hong Kong to mainland China, simply by lying about the contents of the transported boxes.
In April, reports disclosed that the total value of all smuggled hardware introduced into China and subsequently seized by customs officials had reached an astonishing sum of 4 million dollars.
This figure only accounts for the detected contraband. The actual value, including items that might have gone unnoticed, is likely much higher.
Selling anything in China without paying import taxes can yield lucrative profits for smugglers. Many individuals in the country are willing to purchase hardware despite the lack of warranty, as it’s often much cheaper on the black market.
Some of the links added in the article are part of affiliate campaigns and may represent benefits for Softonic.
