Nanjing customs have dealt another blow to the world of international smuggling, with the arrest of those involved in trafficking diamonds to Nanjing via Hong Kong, utilising express couriers and boats as their delivery methods of choice. It was to be their undoing.
The news emerged yesterday and was quickly picked up by local and national media. Under the command of the Anti-Smuggling Bureau, Nanjing Customs has arrested five suspects in Nanjing, Suzhou and Guangzhou, and seized 53 diamonds, thought to be worth approximately ¥50 million.
Officers found that two of the suspects, surnamed Wang and Shao, lacked the necessary licenses permitting the import of diamonds, reported the finance arm of internet portal Sina yesterday.
The two selected the diamonds from overseas suppliers by use of the internet and other means, and passed on each diamond’s particulars to another suspect, surnamed Cui.
Cui arranged for the purchase and delivery to Hong Kong. There, Cui organised that the diamonds be smuggled by boat to the Chinese mainland.
Finally, Cui utilised an everyday express-courier service to have the diamonds delivered to Wang and Shao. At present, the case is under further investigation.
China is never short of high-profile smuggling cases, particularly those involving expensive, luxury items, such as watches, smartphones and gemstones.
In June of 2017, a woman was stopped by Shenzhen customs after officials became suspicious of her rather bulky frame. A total of 102 iPhones were found strapped to her body, together with 15 Tissot watches plastered to her chest.
Also that year, here in Nanjing, customs authorities cracked an amethyst crystal smuggling case, worth a total of ￥267 million. The bust effectively brought down four gangs that had been shifting the crystal through the port of Lianyungang, from where it was to be transported to Guangdong Province for processing and sale.