In an audacious display of daring, a man’s attempt to sneak a total of 68 iPhones into China via Qingdao Port was thwarted by vigilant customs officials. The incident that took place on July 31 saw a man taping 68 iPhones to his various body parts and trying to smuggle them into mainland likely to sell them in the black market.
The awry conduct of man raised doubts among authorities who swiftly jumped into action and took the suspect for closer inspection. Upon closer investigation, 68 iPhones were recovered from him taped to various parts of his body including legs, abdomen and his waist. They were taped using an adhesive tape. While the motive behind his smuggling remains unknown, the man now faces charges of smuggling.
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This isn’t the first time that someone has tried smuggling iPhones. Apple phones seemingly have a huge demand in the grey market which is why there have been multiple cases in the past. In 2017, a woman was caught trying to smuggle 102 iPhones into the country by hiding them under her clothes. She has strapped them around her body. She was also arrested and faced similar charges.
Another case came into light in 2015 wherein a man was busted for trying to smuggle more than 90 iPhones by taping them onto his body.
The high demand for iPhones in China has led to a thriving black market for the devices. iPhones are often sold for much more money on the black market than they are in official stores. In 2016, a group of criminals in China were caught smuggling $79.8 million worth of refurbished iPhones. They were using drones connected via cables to transport the smartphones from Hong Kong to Shenzen. Reportedly, the Shenzen customs officers busted the group and arrested 26 total suspects.
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