Housewife iPhone mules on trial in China

Chinese authorities are catching up with the massive trade in Apple goods illegally smuggled into China, after 25 defendants appeared in a Shenzhen court last week accused of selling iPhone and iPads worth 500m yuan (£50m) to an online store. The suspected smugglers, over half of whom are regular housewives, belong to five …

[mIRCat]

The others have been put to death. Or is no noose, good news?

[Anonymous Coward]

Visions of a cavity search

Smugglers and mules?

A cavity search for a hidden ipad?

Ooh that will really hurt!

[Khaptain]

Re: Visions of a cavity search

That is maybe the real reason for them having rounded corners....

[Anonymous Coward]

It's Ironic

That Apple and China are linked by both trying to prevent the operation of a Free Market.

[dssf]

And, fornte low, low price of

Around 2 - 3 dollars at a time...

[Anonymous Coward]

Exported from China, and smuggled back in.....

Me thinks... I may have gotten that wrong....

But I know what I mean, and that is all that matters.

Still - it will be interesting to see how all of this pans out.

From the San Pan into the Flying Pan.

[Shane 4]

Next time use Google!

They got caught, They must have used Apple maps and taken a wong turn. o.O

[JaitcH]

Yet another government at Apple's beck and call

Knowing Apple, they most likely fitted an RFID device on the packaging and then donated 'security equipment', or, some of the competing smuggling gangs provided 'financial relief' to Customs officials.

Routing matters, too, the border gates are very busy at certain times of day and Customs checks minimal. Similarly for passengers taking the express commuter trains - pre-boarding checks are minimal and quick.

[Stuart Elliott]

Re: Yet another government at Apple's beck and call

Or, how about, they were helping perpetrate a crime, and are being punished for it, what's so wrong with that?

[Mark .]

If it was any other company, the story would just be about phones or whatever. But if it's apple, let's not miss the opportunity for a free product placement ad for them.

Posted from my Samsung galaxy nexus, because i too can give an irrelevant ad.