It is not uncommon for individuals carrying expensive consumer electronics to get caught by airport authorities. On this occasion, one man did not have luck on his side either, as he was caught at the Chinese custom checkpoint trying to smuggle 68 iPhones that were taped to his body. This kind of activity likely involved the individual trying to sell these handsets for a premium asking price, which would have resulted in a nice payday.

Authorities noticed the man carrying the smuggled iPhones was walking in an unorthodox manner, prompting them to quickly take action

The name of the man that had the 68 iPhones taped to his body was not mentioned by CnBeta, but it is stated that on July 31, someone wearing a dark-blue colored short-sleeved shirt attempted to cross the border but was quickly intercepted by the customs department. The first sign of suspicion was that the man had entered the ‘No Declaration’ lane at the customs checkpoint. This particular lane is when you are not carrying any items or valuables that need to be declared, otherwise, they are subjected to taxes and other fees.

Also, the man smuggling the 68 iPhones taped around his body was also walking in a funny manner, which alerted the authorities, and sure enough, they were able to seize the carried items. The particular model number of the iPhones was not shared, but assuming all of them were the 128GB version of the iPhone 14 Pro that retails for $999 in the U.S., it means the total value of those devices would have been $67,932.

Even with a small 20 percent markup, the man would stand to pocket $13,586.40 if he sold all of those 68 iPhones, but the customs authorities had other plans. The report does not mention how the smuggler will be punished, but bringing undeclared items in massive quantities like this in an attempt to cross the border is obviously a crime, so the court verdict will definitely not be in his favor.

News Source: CnBeta