Hong Kong customs seizes 596 high-end CPUs in cross-border smuggling case
- CPUs, which cost more than HK$20,000 each, found in secret compartments in boot of 51-year-old suspect’s Mercedes-Benz at border crossing
Hong Kong customs officers have arrested a businessman on suspicion of attempting to smuggle HK$12 million (US$1.53 million) worth of high-performance CPUs into mainland China.
The 596 CPUs, which cost more than HK$20,000 each, were discovered hidden in secret compartments in the boot of the 51-year-old suspect’s Mercedes-Benz after the mainland-bound car was intercepted at Shenzhen Bay Control Point last week.
Investigator Ho Ting-chun of customs’ syndicate crimes investigation bureau said on Monday that the seized items were high-performance, high-valued processors used for computer servers.
“It supports artificial intelligence and cloud services, providing advanced computing capabilities,” he said. “Smugglers could have evaded about HK$3 million in taxes if the computer units were successfully smuggled into the mainland.”
Ho said it was rare for such high-performance CPUs to be discovered in cross-border smuggling cases.
He said officers were investigating the origin of the processors and the final destination of the seized products.
The car was intercepted on Tuesday last week. According to the Customs and Excise Department, an X-ray revealed suspicious images in the boot of the vehicle.
Officers discovered 149 plastic bags containing the 596 CPUs in three secret compartments.
The driver was detained on suspicion of attempting to export unmanifested cargo – an offence punishable by up to seven years in prison and a HK$2 million fine.
The man had been released on bail, pending further investigation.
