Housewives recruited to smuggle Apple's iPad into China

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014
Fourteen housewives in China were recently busted trying to smuggle 88 iPads into the country, signifying demand for Apple's tablet in China -- and the lengths to which scalpers will go to sell them.



According to a report in the Guangzhou Daily, customs officials made the bust worth 950,000 yuan, or about $143,000. The 14 women were carrying 340 mobile phones, in addition to 88 iPads.



The women were reportedly being paid 200 yuan, or about $30, to run the devices across the border and help smuggle them in to China. All 14 of the women were detained.



The Wi-Fi-only iPad launched in China in September, but the 3G capable model is still not yet available in the nation of over 1 billion. Customers have been forced to import the 3G model, but the Chinese government recently began collecting a tax on iPads carried into the country -- even those for personal use.



Smugglers have reportedly been recruiting residents without criminal records to draw less suspicion in crossing the border. One of the women that was apprehended allegedly had 65 phones strapped around her waist, and another 20 inside a handbag she was carrying.



This week, a report indicated that there is strong demand for the iPad in China, with stock limited in stores. In addition, the iPhone 4 and 11-inch MacBook Air are also facing shortages in the Far East.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    Talk about "Desperate Housewives".. Now that's the "real" deal right there.
  • Reply 2 of 21
    aaarrrggghaaarrrgggh Posts: 1,609member
    Regulatory or supply constraint, I wonder...
  • Reply 3 of 21
    I might possibly be going to China in January... maybe pay for the trip with iPhones/iPads?
  • Reply 4 of 21
    jobjob Posts: 420member
    Conspicuous consumption at its finest.
  • Reply 5 of 21
    Nice try Lao Che!
  • Reply 6 of 21
    rainrain Posts: 538member
    This article is begging for zingers
  • Reply 7 of 21
    lanklank Posts: 27member
    They are made in China??? Kinda of like smuggling potatoes into Idaho.
  • Reply 8 of 21
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by alolkoy View Post


    Nice try Lao Che!



    - awesome indiana jones and the temple of doom. Made my day.
  • Reply 9 of 21
    bagmanbagman Posts: 349member
    What is an "Apple Mule" called? Glad iPads and iPhones aren't small enough to consider more desperate measures to import them.



    If it were guys doing this, the obvious line would be: "Is that an iPhone strapped to your thigh, or are you just happy to see me?"
  • Reply 10 of 21
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member
    Odd being that the iPad is manufactured in China.
  • Reply 11 of 21
    bagmanbagman Posts: 349member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TBell View Post


    Odd being that the iPad is manufactured in China.



    Must be way easier to do it this way, rather than try to get them from Foxconn workers in China, with all the obvious security measures that Apple/Foxconn have in place.
  • Reply 12 of 21
    So ironic since they make them there.......
  • Reply 13 of 21
    Irony:

    As I read this thread Google served me an ad for Galaxy Tab right below.
  • Reply 14 of 21
    The iPads, iPhones and other devices are cheaper in Hong Kong and they don't have Big Brother Chin's special sauce installed neither.
  • Reply 15 of 21
    successsuccess Posts: 1,040member
    Quote:

    Fourteen housewives in China were recently busted trying to smuggle 88 iPads into the country...



    Interesting because 88 is good luck which means they were definitely thinking about that number/good luck when trying to get them into China. They messed up by using 14 women. Anything with the number 4 is bad luck.



    - FAIL
  • Reply 16 of 21
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by success View Post


    Interesting because 88 is good luck which means they were definitely thinking about that number/good luck when trying to get them into China. They messed up by using 14 women. Anything with the number 4 is bad luck.



    - FAIL



    But, 88 is simply an 8 followed by another 8. And, 8 is 4 twice! Yikes. 4 twice, followed by another 4 twice.



    Horrors!



    The Universe must be ready to cave in on itself (or Chinese numerology must be total b-s).
  • Reply 17 of 21
    ajitmdajitmd Posts: 365member
    What kind of sentence will the women get? Hard labor?
  • Reply 18 of 21
    Forget drug mules. iPad and iPhone is where the big money is.



    BTW this kind of stuff has been happening all over Asia, for some countries there is reduced risk because it is not illegal, except they may force you to pay tax. In some countries only mobile phones are taxed, not something that can be classified as a computer, such as the iPad.



    Still, trust China to take this grey import scene to a whole new level.



    It is so ironic to see people smashing their iDevices on YouTube or going Android and WP7 because iStuff is "too common", while just several hours away by plane the demand is insanely desperate.
  • Reply 19 of 21
    65 phones strapped around her waist, and another 20 inside a handbag?????
  • Reply 20 of 21
    I thought they were made in China
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