Unraveling into incidents of smuggled PC hardware in China has become a norm for us, and we are here to report another rather "unique" attempt at smuggling PC hardware.
Individual Attempts to Smuggle 420 Memory Modules By Wrapping Around Legs, Gets Caught in The End By China Customs
We have reported several "smuggling" instances, ranging from hardware components being transported under a car to Intel's latest 13th Gen CPUs smuggled by being wrapped around a waist. The reason for bringing such incidents holds two primary reasons, the first one is to showcase the "weirdness" involved, and the second is to portray the ongoing smuggling situation on a regional level.
Coming back to the topic, MyDrivers reports that the customs officials at Gongbei Port in China have managed to intercept a smuggling attempt, ultimately seizing a total of 420 memory sticks. The report discloses that an individual was detained at the "Non-declaration channel", primarily due to his oddly shaped legs with irregular bumps which raised caution amongst officers present. Upon investigation, it was seen that memory sticks were wrapped around the thighs and calf of the individual.
While the report doesn't disclose the type of memory sticks, they either could be older DDR2/DDR3 memory (which explains the purple memory sticks) based on the picture provided, or it could be one of the server memories, which are primarily released with that "green" look.
Smuggling is a serious offence in China, and there has been a steady rise in incidents. The driving cause behind such attempts is the difference in taxation policies on a regional level and in some cases, a 13% VAT is applicable. To save costs and increase profits, individuals backed by large-scale dealers often rise to the occasion, getting caught in the end. Based on our analysis, the total cost of smuggling attempts reached USD $4 million over a span of two years, and by the looks of it, things aren't stopping here.
News Source: MyDrivers
About the author: Muhammad Zuhair is a hardware and technology reporter for Wccftech, specializing in the semiconductor industry and the complex interplay between technology, manufacturing, and geopolitics. His coverage focuses on the corporate strategies and technological roadmaps of industry giants like TSMC, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Intel. Zuhair's expertise lies in deconstructing complex topics such as fabrication nodes (e.g., 2nm process), the economic impact of policies like the CHIPS Act, and the strategic development of AI infrastructure from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel.
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