Chinese customs officials recently thwarted a attempt to smuggle CPUs from Macau to mainland China. The smuggler was intercepted at Qingmao Port, attempting to covertly transport 306 CPUs using a waistband-like device.

Customs officers grew suspicious due to the individual's unusual gait. Given the 50-gram weight of each CPU, the aggregate weight, excluding packaging materials such as paper and tape, surpassed 15 kilograms (approximately 33 pounds).

Hong Kong's On News further reported that the male suspect also affixed some CPUs to his legs, not just restricting them to his waistband. Images provided show the slim suspect in a baggy black sports shirt, with one image featuring the shirt lifted from the waist. Although the exact brand or model of the seized CPUs is not detailed in the sources, a picture displaying customs officers inspecting unwrapped CPUs provides a clue. While not definitively identifiable in the image, the chips seem to resemble the AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPUs, characterized by their unique 'octopus' integrated heat spreader (IHS) design.

It's worth noting that the transportation of CPUs from Macau or Hong Kong to mainland China is not illicit. However, these smugglers sought to exploit the "non-declaration channel" at the customs border. The incentive for smuggling such technology into mainland China is financial, capitalizing on the tax differential. The Chinese mainland levies a 13% value-added tax (VAT) on consumer goods, while Hong Kong and Macau are VAT exempt.

Earlier last week, another report highlighted a thwarted effort to transport 420 M.2 SSDs into China from Macau illicitly. Past months have also exposed failed CPU smuggling attempts, including an incident where a man was discovered with roughly 160 Intel CPUs taped to his body, and a creative but unsuccessful attempt to hide 202 Intel CPUs within a faux pregnancy belly.

Chinese Customs Apprehend Man Smuggling 306 CPUs in Unusual Manner