Zhuhai’s Gongbei Customs announced yesterday that its officers have separately caught three men attempting to smuggle over 100 second-hand phones from Macau to the mainland.
According to Gongbei Customs, the first case was busted last Tuesday when customs officers at the Macau-Zhuhai Qingmao pedestrian border checkpoint intercepted a man pulling a folding trolley acting suspiciously. The officers seized a total of 14 used smartphones hidden in his jacket and trouser pockets, while 30 second-hand smartphones were inside the folding trolley, making a total of 44 second-hand smartphones.
The second case, according to Gongbei Customs, occurred last Thursday at 1:14 a.m., when a man entered the mainland through the “nothing to declare channel” at the Qingmao border checkpoint looking nervous. When customs officers stopped him for an inspection, he attempted to run away.
Customs officers immediately stopped him, and found a total of 48 second-hand smartphones bound with black elastic bandages and plastic film strapped around his waist and thighs.
In the third case, Gongbei Customs said that at 6:33 a.m. last Thursday, customs officers intercepted a man looking bloated and suspicious, and upon arrival at the inspection counter, the man attempted to escape when asked to show his identification documents. He was immediately stopped by the officers at the scene.
Upon further inspection, the officers found 56 used smartphones bound with black elastic bandages and plastic film in the suspect’s jacket pockets and wrapped around his waist, thighs and calves, the Gongbei Customs statement said.
The suspects in the second and third cases had previously been given administrative penalties by the Gongbei Customs for smuggling in the past two years, adding that the customs authorities will impose heavier penalties on both as they were caught smuggling again.
The statement did not reveal where the three men were from.
Gongbei Customs said that carrying, mailing or posting goods prohibited or restricted in the mainland as well as dutiable goods entering or leaving the mainland are considered ways of smuggling, and those caught will be held criminally liable depending on the seriousness of each case.
This undated handout photo provided by Gongbei Customs yesterday shows one of the three suspected smugglers with 44 confiscated second-hand smart phones.
