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Man busted wearing iPhone bodysuit at China's border

By Amy R. Connolly
A Hong Kong man is caught smuggling iPhones into China. Photo by Shenzhen Huanggang Customs via Sina Weibo
1 of 3 | A Hong Kong man is caught smuggling iPhones into China. Photo by Shenzhen Huanggang Customs via Sina Weibo

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BEIJING, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- A Hong Kong man wearing a bodysuit of iPhones was arrested as he tried to pass through an entryway between Hong Kong and mainland China.

The man used plastic bags and masking tape to strap 94 Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models to his legs and torso, Sina News reported. Authorities at Futian Port, a hub between Hong Kong and mainland China, took notice of the man as he went through customs. He carried only two shopping bags and looked stiff as he was walking. When he set off a metal detector, he was apprehended.

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Officials found the man had the smartphones, worth about $48,400, taped to his legs, arms and torso.

The smart phones are a hot and expensive commodity in China, with an unlocked iPhone 6 selling for about $852 in mainland China and $720 in Hong Kong. The price difference has created a new illegal profession in China called dai gou, or shopping agents. They purchase items in Hong Kong and carry them to mainland China to avoid taxes.

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